Dozens of residents in Shiroro LGA fled their homes on Sunday night following a series of attacks by bandits.

Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Bello Mohammed, has confirmed an attack by bandits on residents of Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday on the phone, Mr Mohammed, a retired army brigadier-general, confirmed reports of multiple attacks in the area.

It could be recalled that dozens of residents in Shiroro LGA fled their homes on Sunday night following a series of attacks by bandits.

The affected communities include Kemaka, Roro, Unguwan-Usman, Karaga, Rumace, and Bassa.

The displaced residents, who spent Sunday night hiding in the bush, reported that the attackers were about 200.

Before the Sunday night attacks in Shiroro, bandits had blocked the Zungeru-Tegina road on 12 May and kidnapped an unspecified number of traders who were on their way to the Zungeru weekly market.

Sources said the bandits blocked the road near Kundu village in broad daylight.

Niger is one of the worst affected states by banditry as it shares a long boundary with the troubled North-west region where the outlaws are most active in Nigeria.

But Mr Mohammed said efforts were ongoing to combat the menace, especially in the state's farming communities.

The state's large and fertile land makes it a food basket, but output from the sector has been severely affected by bandits routinely kidnapping farmers and traders for ransom.

Meanwhile, the commissioner said the state government was also working to establish temporary settlement centres for displaced persons.

"The government is taking steps to bring the situation under control. We are providing resettlement centres for the affected communities because, even if they return home now, there is no peace of mind. Some of them don't even have a place to sleep if they go back. If there is life, there is hope," he said.