By Priscilla Campbell, Minna
Three communities have been attacked by bandits in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
This is coming barely 24 hours after bandits unleashed terror on Kukoki village in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.
Angered by the development, youths in Kagara town in Rafi council were said to have blocked the Lagos-Kaduna highway to protest the incessant banditry and kidnappings in the various forests in the area.
They called on the federal and state governments to respond quickly to their plight.
The youths carried various placards with inscriptions: ‘We need help, Government save us’, Help us with food, water’, and others.
Also, the Director General of the state Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ahmed Inga, said that a total of 200 armed bandits attacked Kokoki village in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state in broad daylight on Monday.
“They were shooting sporadically into the air and sacking the people from their homes.”
The communities attacked by the bamdits include Rafin-wayam, Rafin-kwakwa and Gidan Dogo-Gurgu villages.
It was gathered that the bandits arrived the area on top of motorcycles numbering over 30, carried away three people each and ransacked the three communities.
This, it was learnt, forced the people to flee their communities to Kagara, the headquarters of Rafi local government area, to seek refuge.
Eyewitness said the bandits arrived the area armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, encircled the Rafin Wayam community and carted away their food, especially breads and beverages before they took off for Pangu-Gari community.
Mallam Dahiru, an eyewitness, said after the attack, at 6:45pm on Tuesday, over 300 persons from the three areas ran away from their homes into the forest and waters for safety, particularly to the open camps in Kagara.
