By Ummi Ismaeel, Minna
No fewer than 50 passengers were on Tuesday evening abducted by suspected armed bandits along the Tegina-Minna road in the Rafi Local Government of Niger State.
This is coming in less than 48 hours President Muhammadu Buhari declared that no such high level abduction would happen in Nigeria again after that of Zamfara schoolgirls.
The latest attack from the same axis is coming less than a week after the release of abducted passengers traveling with the NSTA and the Government Science College (GSC), Kagara in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
The armed bandits, according to local sources, blocked the road along Kundu village, few kilometers from Zungeru town in Wushishi Local Government Area when the commercial vehicles carrying nine passengers including drivers each rammed into the road block mounted by the bandits.
The passengers who were traveling in three vehicles were abducted and taken to unknown destination through bush path while the vehicles were abandoned by the road side.
In another development, a yet to be ascertained number of villagers had been declared missing after armed bandits invaded Gidigori town in Rafi Local Government Area.
The invaders, according to the source, also set ablaze five cars and also carted away food items and personal valuables of the villagers.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) ASP Wasiu Abiodun, could not confirm the attacks as at the time of filing this report.
A senior government official who did not want his names mentioned because he was not authorized to speak on the matter told our correspondent that so far, nothing has been heard from the bandits to enable the government know the identities of those kidnapped.
Also in Shiroro Local Governent, one person was killed and several others missing when armed bandits raided Manta town in the Shiroro Local Government Area on Monday night. The bandits who shot sporadically into the air to scare away intruders were said to have also ransacked the houses of their victims stealing foodstuff and other valuables.
