By Ayodele Oni
Residents of Agwarra and Borgu local government areas of Niger state have been having sleepless nights for a week following continued invasion of communities in the area by suspected terrorists.
As at last count, no fewer than 42 persons were killed and unconfirmed number of persons including children abducted.
According to reports, the terrorists have been attacking villages in Agwarra for the last one week without any opposition.
Sources said in the last one week, they have been coming angrily to attack communities at freewill because there is no security presence here.
A source claimed that “they killed 37 people in Kasuwa Daji near Papiri, another 5 in Kaima village and abducted many people including children and some of these children are pupils and students of the same St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary schools, Papiri in Agwarra.
“The government and security agencies should come to our aid, we have serious crisis across the river where the students were abducted.
“They came out of the forest for about a week now, wrecking havoc in the villages. Just yesterday (Saturday) alone they burnt one particular market and abducted so many people, including children.”
Confirming the attack at the Catholic mission house, the Director of Communications, Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese, Rev. Father Stephen Kabirat said the terrorists have killed over 40 persons and taken into captivity some persons.
According to him “our Parish Priest narrowly escaped abduction when the terrorists visited our Mission House three days ago.
“They destroyed some religious items in the church, carted away two motorbikes and cash worth over two hundred thousand Naira (N200,000).
“They were looking for the Priest but luckily he escaped but they abducted some villagers including children.”
Another villager, while appealing to the relevant authorities said “as I am talking to you, some of the villages where the abducted school children come from have been sleeping in the bushes since their return because of activities of the terrorists”
Confirming the attacks, the Niger state Police Command said, at about 9pm on Saturday, it received reports that suspected bandits attacked and killed over 30 persons and abducted unconfirmed number of persons.
In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun said “at about 4:30pm on Saturday, suspected Bandits from the National Park Forest along Kabe District invaded Kasuwan Daji located at Demo Village via Kabe, killed over 30 persons, burnt the market and looted shops and carted away food items.”
He further disclosed that, a joint security team has visited the scene and efforts are ongoing to rescue the victims.
“Further development will be communicated please”, he disclosed
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