By: Yunusa Umar
About Sixteen members of a local vigilante group were killed when heavily armed bandits launched a dawn raid on communities in Niger State’s troubled conflict corridor, abducting dozens of residents and leaving families in anguish.
The daredevil terrorists, New Daily Prime gathered, launched a coordinated attack on Magaman Matane, Ragada, Ramu, Dutsen Magaji and surrounding villages of Mashegu local government area in the state.
A source familiar with the incident who preferred anonymity for security reasons, confirmed the attack on Saturday that the 16 vigilantes who stood fearlessly were overpowered by bandits.
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“While exchanging gun shots, the Vigilantes ran out of equipment and bullets which made bandits overpower them, killing 16 of them”, he told New Daily Prime, in a phone interview.
“The attackers, riding on motorcycles and wielding sophisticated weapons, overwhelmed the community guards who had been struggling to defend remote villages where government security presence remained thin”, he added.
The assault, survivors say, is the latest in a deadly cycle of violence that continues to tighten its grip on the region.
16 vigilantes slain as terrorists launch coordinated assault
In a coordinated attack on villages under siege in Mashegu area of Niger State,16 bravery vigilantes chased the waylaying terrorists after abducting about seven women but the gunbattle led to escaping of two women from the captives on Thursday.
He said, “The vigilantes followed them, about 24 women were rescued, the vigilantes record casualties and some are at the hospital receiving treatment.
The details and names of the slain Vigilantes remain sketchy as of press time as the attacks occurred indifferent villages under Mashegu area of the state.
“If the vigilantes were fully equipped, the story would have been different. Even with their local equipment, they were able to neutralise some of them” the village source added.
Dozens of women abducted
Another source in the affected village of Mashegu who spoke to New Daily Prime, said bandits operated freely days unchallenged without hindrance, targeting women for abduction.
“Several women were abducted by the terrorists. We can not tell you the exact figure of women that were abducted”, he said, lamenting of fear within the community for renewed attack.
He further told this newspaper that few women began to return yesterday after a gun battle with the terrorists as abducted women returned home.
“Some of the who women are returning back home from the captive, you see we can’t tell the total number of the women in their captive”, he said.
“The terrorists came in on Thursday night and their first attack claimed seven women. After gun battle with Vigilantes, two abducted women escaped again and got home after dawn prayer of yesterday ”, the source revealed.
Fear gripped the air as bandits forced their way into a mosque, trapping dozens of worshippers who had gathered for prayers. With the doors bolted from outside, the attackers moved through the hall, selecting hostages and leaving the community in anguish long after their departure.
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“They came in again and looked up the door of the mosque”, trapping worshippers inside the mosque.
This newspaper contacted Wasiu Abiodun, the police spokesman in the state but was not available for comment. SMS and WhatsApp messages sent to him remained unanswered
