Gunmen, suspected to be armed bandits, have killed three people between Bangi and Kotonkoro in the Mariga local government area of Niger State.
The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday morning around 9:00 AM when the armed men blocked the highways, shooting sporadically at moving vehicles. Alhaji Shehu Kotonkoro, the owner of one of the affected cars, stated that his driver, a female passenger, and another individual identified as Alhaji Ibrahim were on their way to the market when they were shot dead.
Shehu lamented the perceived shortage of security personnel in the area, noting that the attack took place just about 5 kilometres from Kotonkoro. He highlighted that the bandits subsequently abducted two rice farmers who were harvesting rice on their farms, located about 2 kilometres from the town.
Furthermore, he explained that students from the community have been asked to return home to avoid becoming victims of the hoodlums’ heartless and senseless killings of innocent citizens.
The Chairman of the Mariga Local Government Council, Alhaji Abbas Musa Kasuwa-Garba, confirmed the incident in a brief telephone interview with newsmen on Monday, noting that three people were killed during the attack. He expressed sympathy for the bereaved families of the victims.
Kasuwa-Garba lamented that the activities of the bandits have been consistent in the area, attributed to its proximity to the borders with Zamfara, Kebbi, and Kaduna States. He pointed out that the bandits often strike their communities and retreat back to their camps in neighbouring states outside Niger State.
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