Minna — Again, bandits have invaded the Mashegu local government area of Niger state during which two Policemen were kidnapped, two villagers killed and no fewer than 32 others abducted.
The bandits were said to have gone straight to Ibbi Police station in Mashegu local government area, attacked those on duty and whisked away two of the Policemen.
The incident occurred Sunday evening.
After sacking the Policemen on duty, the bandits were said to have ransacked the armoury in the station and carted away some arms and ammunition.
A dependable source from the area who confirmed the development told our Correspondent that no fewer than 32 persons were abducted from different villages in the Community. All the abducted villagers were led into the Ibbi forest.
"This incident happened about 24 hours after an unidentified aircraft had hovered round the Community and the Police Station.
"Some of the villages raided later include Ibbi and Mazakuka towns. Statistics show that 15 of those abducted are from Mazakuka town while 9 are from Ibbi town and all of them including the Policemen abducted were led into the forest and they are yet to be traced till now," the Source revealed.
Our Correspondent gathered that local vigilantes from Mokwa and New Bussa trailed the bandits into the forest and engaged them in a fierce gun battles which lasted for hours.
Unfortunately, the Commander of the vigilante was killed by the bandits while some of the bandits were also reported to have been killed by the vigilante members.
The remains of the Commander had been taken to his village and buried.
All efforts made to reach the Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarians, Mr. Emmanuel Umar proved abortive just as the Spokesman of the State Police Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun could not also be reached on his telephone line. Just last week, gunmen invaded some Communities in the same local government during which 7 people were killed and 26 persons abducted. Chairman of Mashegu local government area, Alhaji Umar Igede had cried out over the incessant attack of the local government in the past two months and called on the government to come to their rescue as the villagers are fleeing their ancestral homes to take refuge in the Internal Displaced Peoples Camp,(IDP) thereby increasing the population of the Camp geometrically.
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