By Ummi Ismaeel, Minna
Gunmen suspected to be armed bandits have abducted 19 persons, including two would-be brides from their homes in Kutunku village, Wushishi Local Government Area of Niger State.
The gunmen, according to the locals, arrived the community early Monday morning and shot sporadically apparently to scare away possible intruders before going after their victims in their various homes.
One of the locals, who also sustained injuries trying to escape into the nearby bush, told said on phone how the invaders also physically manhandled some of their kinsmen during the operation, which lasted for several hours unchallenged.
According to him, “Some gunmen attacked Kutunku village early this morning and after the attacks we discovered that 19 persons; 11 males and eight females were missing and as at this afternoon we are yet to hear from their abductors.
“Among the 19 people abducted by the gunmen include two females who are to be given out in marriage this weekend and the bandits have so far not communicated to the families of the abducted persons”, the source further said.
Efforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Niger State command, Wasiu Abiodun, to confirm the attack and kidnap proved abortive. The PPRO’s number was indicating ‘unreacheable’ as at the time of this report.