Seven farmers killed, others injured by bandits attack in Niger

Seven farmers have been killed and several others sustained varying degrees of injuries following armed bandits’ attacks in Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State.

The victims were killed at a farm in Babban Rami while trying to convey their farm produces home during which some armed bandits carrying sophisticated weapons acosted them and opened gunfire on them indiscriminately, killing about even farmers and injured several others.

Tribune Online gathered that the incident which occured in the early hours of Thursday and left six people dead, in a pool of their own blood while several other survivors were quickly  rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.

A widow among the victims, Mrs Ibrahim who spoke to Tribune Online on Saturday while weeping profusely and lamenting the killing of her husband, said the killing of her late husband by armed bandits has left her with about eight of her children to take of at this critical period, just as the distressed lady  called on government at all levels and well meaning individuals to come to her aid.

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She described the unfortunate incident as the first time in the history of Babban rami in Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State was being attacked by the daredevil gunmen.

However, concerted  efforts by our reporter to confirm the incident from the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the State Police  Command, ASP Wasiu Abiodun was unsuccessful as he did not pick his calls nor respond to the text message sent to him over the unfortunate attack.

But Secretary to the Niger State Government( SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane in a brief interview in Minna yesterday,  condemned in stronger terms the attack on  the innocent farmers by armed bandits, stressing that the state government was on top of the situation.

Ahmed Ibrahim Matane maintained that the state government was currently restrategizing  it’s security architecture towards defeating all forms of security challenges in parts of Niger state.

Further checks revealed that many agricultural produces that were harvested in Mashegu Local Government Area this dry season were now being wasted in the farms due to inability of the farmers to either harvest them or convey them to the market as a result of insecurity challenges occasioned by incessant bandits’ attacks.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE