Terrorists Abduct 35, Rustle Cows in North-central Nigeria

Terrorists operating in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger state, North-central Nigeria, have reportedly invaded Chiri Boda and Fuka communities where they abducted 35 persons and rusted cattle. 

Muhammad Awaisu Wana, the Chairman, Niger Concern Citizens, disclosed to journalists in Minna, the Niger State capital, that many residents fled to the nearby forests after the attackers stormed the area on Saturday. 

He said only small fractions of the local government is not in the hands of the terrorists who were estimated to be in hundreds. According to him, 10 of the 15 local government wards are under their control. 

“The five wards that are not under bandits’ control are Gusoro Zumba, Bongajiya, Bina, Sheyi lapa and Ubandoma and they are mostly occupied by the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from various wards seeking refuge,” he said. 

He stated that the number of displaced persons who have currently trooped to other towns are about 80,000. 

Wana called for a quick intervention of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to supply those IDPs with the necessary support to ameliorate their hardship.

He also  called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, return the IDPs back to their homes before the beginning of the rainy season. 

Wasiu Abiodun, the Niger State Police command’s Public Relations Officer, said he would get back to comment on the issue as of the time of filing this report. 

Niger State has been one of the hard hit states in terms of terrorism and other organised crimes in northern Nigeria. 

The criminal gangs hiding in the vast forest of the state have been waging attacks on its different villages and towns. 

Several attempts to counter the terrorists’ operations have been unsuccessful.