By Stephen Ojo
Bandits said to be running out food stuff due to military action have reportedly killed three people between Bangi and Kotonkoro in Mariga local government area of Niger state.
The bandits are reported to have also attacked another vehicle conveying loaves of bread to the market and carted away the content of the vehicle after which the driver was allowed to escape.
According to reports from the area indicate that the incident occurred on Sunday morning around 9am during which the armed men blocked the road, shooting sporadically on moving vehicles.
The owner of the vehicle in which the three passengers were killed Alhaji Shehu Kotonkoro said it is God that saved his life.
Speaking in an interview with reporters, Alhaji Kotonkoro that his driver, a girl and one other man identified as Alhaji Ibrahim were in his car on their way to the market when they fall into the ambush by the bandits but unfortunately did not survived.
Lamenting the shortage of security personnel in the area, Alhaji Kotonkoro said ” the incident happened just about 5km from Kotonkoro. The bandits later abducted two rice farmers harvesting rice on their farm 2km from the town”.
He said that the incident has sent the inhabitants of the area on panic and pandemonium, adding that, “students from the community school have been asked to return home to avoid being victims”.
The Chairman, Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, Alhaji Abbas Musa Kasuwa- Garba confirmed the incident and the death of three persons during the attack.
While sympathising with his people, the Chairman said, “the bandits activities have been consistent in the area due to our boarder with Zamfara, Kebbi and Kaduna states through Birinin Gwari axis. The bandits always strike on our community and return back to their camps located outside the Niger state”.