By Ummi Ismaeel,
Minna
Armed bandits numbering over 50 have attacked Madaka village in Rafi Local Government Area, Niger State, killing three persons including the leader of a vigilante group, Mallam Isyaku Alhassan.
The bandits also kidnapped the village head of Madaka community for the second time within three months during an attack that lasted for close to three hours.
The attack on Sunday, according to source, was between 11am to 2pm when some people were returning from church service.
Other victims of the attack include the son of the leader of the vigilante, Abdulhamid Isyaku, and another, whose name could not be ascertained at the time of filing the report.
Recall that the village head was abducted when the bandits attacked the area three months ago and was in their custody for the said period before he was recently released.
Rafi Local Government Area has been under siege by armed bandits including the following communities. The most hit are Rafi-Doko, Yakila, Katako and other neighbouring villages in which many persons were kidnapped, injured and food items and properties estimated at millions of Naira destroyed.
Chief of Staff to Rafi LGA Chairman, Mohammed Mohammed, who confirmed the developments, said that three persons were killed and the village head re-abducted in the most recent attack.
Mohammed confirmed that the bandits numbered over 50, adding however that members of the community scampered for safety, out of fear for their lives while the operation lasted.
He further explained that the corpses of those massacred were yet to be retrieved from the scene of the attacks due to overwhelming challenges.
All efforts to get reaction from the state police command failed as the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Niger State Police Command, ASP Wasiu Abiodun, did not pick his calls or reply to text messages sent to him on the issue.