Terrorists Invade Niger Communities, Kill Several Villagers, Kidnap Catholic Priest, Others

•Set up camp at Chibane

Laleye Dipo

An unspecified number of villagers have been killed in several communities in the Munya Local Government Area of Niger State when terrorists invaded their villagers between Sunday afternoon and early Monday morning.

In addition, the terrorists also kidnapped a catholic priest Reverend Leo Raphael Ozigi and some clergymen who ran into the gunmen as they were returning to Minna after the Sunday mass held in one of the communities.

This is even as the terrorists have now reportedly set up a camp at Kuchi town.

THISDAY was told that the bandits raided Chibani, Injita, Tsohon, Kabula, Jesso as well as Gini and Gunu.

The gunmen according to THISDAY findings rode on more than 50 motorcycles with between two and three of them on each of the motorcycles and were all carrying sophisticated gun.

At a point it was learnt that they blocked the bridge linking the local government area with Shiroro local government from where they carried out their operations.

It was when the gunmen were on the bridge that the Catholic Priest and other clergymen ran into them leading to their abduction.

From the bridge area it was gathered that the terrorists moved to Chibane where they have now set up their camp from where they launched attacks on the communities.

THISDAY learnt that they forced several houses open, burgled food bans and stores and made away with several items.

An eyewitness said though there was a military and other security posts at Sarkinpawa the headquarters of the local government there was no counter offensive for the terrorists.

Secretary of Munya Local Government Council Mr. James Jagaba in a telephone interview yesterday, confirmed the incident saying the terrorists have been operating unhindered for several hours, ” even now they are still there and nobody can tell you the number of people already killed or kidnapped, all I know is that there are casualties.”

The Commissioner for Local Government and Internal Security, Mr. Emmanuel Umar, when contacted also confirmed the incident saying a statement would be issued on the matter soon.

Also, the State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Niger State Chapter, Reverend Mathias Echioda, confirmed the kidnap of the catholic priest and others.

“We are trying to get the identities of other clergymen with the kidnapped priest,” Echioda said.