Bandits abduct Army Captain, kill six soldiers, many vigilantes in Niger, Sokoto

Bandits abduct Army Captain, kill six soldiers, many vigilantes in Niger, Sokoto

Bandits on Saturday went berserk storming two Army camps in Niger State and shelled the areas with bullets, leading to the death of six soldiers.
They also reportedly abducted an Army captain.
Also, scores of vigilantes were said to have been killed by bandits in the Shiroro Local Government Area of the state on Saturday.
In Sokoto, the state police command has confirmed the killing of six persons in a bloody confrontation on Thursday between vigilantes and bandits at the Gada weekly market.
The Niger State’s killings of soldiers occurred at Kukoki and Sarari Army camps, Newstrends learnt.
The state Commissioner for Internal Security, Major General Abdullahi (rtd), did not respond to calls made to his mobile phone.
The state police command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, had as of the time of this report yet to comment on the incident.
Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed the death of six persons in the Thursday’s exchange of fire between vigilantes and suspected bandits at Gada weekly market in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Ahmed Rufa’i, who confirmed the development, said the police were still investigating the incident.
“I can confirm to you that we recovered six bodies suspected to be of Fulanis killed by the vigilantes left unattended on the market day on Thursday in Gada town,” he stated.
The incident reportedly started when a leader of the Gidan Hashimu village vigilante group made a move to arrest and interrogate a notorious cattle rustler in the market.
The move was said to have been resisted by the Fulani group around the market.
The suspected bandits shot and killed the vigilante leader, which sparked reprisal attacks by members of the vigilante group.
Before the arrival of the police team to the market, more than six people were killed.
Provoked by the killing of their leader, the group went on reprisal attacks on Fulani communities in the area where over 50 people were alleged to have been dislodged by the rampaging group.
A legislator in the state House of Assembly representing Gada LGA, Hon. Kabiru Gada, also confirmed the incident.
He said, “The report at my disposal shows that many people were killed; some with injuries sustained from gunshots fired by both sides.”