Eight Villages Deserted as Bandits Invade Niger Communities

•Kill doctor, abduct five in Kaduna church

John Shiklam in Kaduna and Laleye Dipo in Minna

No fewer than eight communities in the Fuka district of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State have been deserted following the raid on the villages by bandits on Saturday night.
Another group of bandits yesterday also attacked worshipers at Haske Baptist Church, Manini community, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing a medical doctor while five people were abducted.

Following the raid on the Niger communities, THISDAY gathered that 1,569 villagers have now relocated to Sarkin Pawa the headquarters of the Munya LGA where they are now Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
THISDAY learnt from eyewitnesses that the raid on the villages was carried out by about 60 AK-47 rifle-wielding bandits on motorcycles.

It was gathered that the bandits first attacked a businessman, Alhaji Doma Fuka, before proceeding to the home of a member of the Niger State House of Assembly, Hon. Andrew Jagaba Doma.
At both residences, the bandits were said to have rustled cattle and injured many of the residents
An eyewitness said vigilantes had launched a manhunt search for the bandits.

One of the eyewitnesses gave a breakdown of the number of displaced people from each village as: Unguwan Magaji with 250 people; Kulgbaku with 450 people; Lukodna with152 people; Kakuru with 265 people; Abuza with 50 people; Kudam with 156 people; Dnakogbe with 78 people and Kubaidnapa with 168 people.

“I can confirm to you that nobody is left in these villages; the bandits have turned the villages to their hiding places and cooking centres,” an eye witness told THISDAY.

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

Banditry has increased in the area in the last few days 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 Secretary to the Niger State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Matane, had told THISDAY that the withdrawal of the security men was for “tactical reasons.”

The bandits have also attacked worshipers at Haske Baptist Church, Manini community, Chikun LGA of Kaduna State, killing a medical doctor while five other people were abducted.

An eyewitness, who gave his name as Mr. Jacob Bala, said in a telephone interview that the bandits stormed the church at about 9 am when church service was ongoing and opened fire on worshippers.

He said the bandits rode on motorcycles and were armed with sophisticated arms.
Bala said his uncle, Dr. Zakariya Dogonyaro, a staff of the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, was shot dead.
He added that five other people, including three of his relations, were abducted.

He said: “Church service was going on when herdsmen just came and surrounded the church and started shooting.
“They came at 9 am. They were many and they were riding on motorcycles. They started shooting indiscriminately as we scampered for safety.

“My uncle, Dr. Zakariya Dogonyaro, was killed instantly. He worked with the Kaduna State Ministry of Health. They shot him and he died on the spot.

“They kidnapped five people, including my late brother’s wife, my stepmother, my elder brother’s daughter and two other people.”
Spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mr. Mohammad Jalige, did not respond to telephone calls when contacted.