Eight Villages Deserted as Bandits Invade Communities in Niger

By Laleye Dipo

Not less than eight communities in Fuka district of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State have been completely deserted following the raid on the villages by bandits Saturday night.

It was learnt that the entire 1,569 villagers have now relocated to Sarkin Pawa, the headquarters of Munya Local Government Area where they are now in the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp.

THISDAY learnt from eyewitnesses that the raid on the villages was by about 60 bandits who rode two on a motorcycle with each carrying AK-47 rifles.

It was gathered that the bandits first attacked a popular businessman, Alhaji Doma Fuka, before proceeding to the house of a member of the Niger State House of Assembly, Mr Andrew Jagaba Doma.

At their residences, they were said to have rustled several cattle and injured many of the residents.

An eyewitness said that men of the vigilante had mounted a spirited search for both the bandits and the cattle to no avail.

The following villages have been completely deserted, the eyewitness told THISDAY on phone — Unguwan magaji with 250 people; Kulgbaku with 450 villagers; Lukodna with 152 people; Kakuru with 265 villagers; Abuza 50 people; Kudam with 156 people; Dnakogbe with 78 people; and Kubaidnapa with 168 villagers.

The eyewitness said: “I can confirm to you that there are no people in these villages, the bandits have turned the villages to their hiding places and cooking centres.”

The police could not be reached for comments but a member of staff of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, who spoke to THISDAY on phone from Sarkin Pawa town, confirmed the story, saying: “The number of IDPs in Sarkinpawa has increased seriously this morning.”

In the last couple of days cases of bandit attacks in the area have been on the increase following the withdrawal of security operatives from Allawa, Bassa and Zagzaga after bandits sacked the security bases killing some soldiers and burning their operational vehicles.

The government through the Secretary to the State Government Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane had told THISDAY that the withdrawal of the security men was for “tactical reasons”.