NIGER: Bandits supervised by hovering helicopter kill 3, injure 15 as they loot foodstuffs – District head

A HORDE of bandits numbering 200 invaded some communities in Munya and Paikoro local governments on Sunday.

The two LGs are in Niger State and the bandits reportedly killed two vigilantes, a middle-aged man and injured about 15 others in an operation largely targeted at foodstuffs.

But the villagers were shocked when about 15 young women were forced by the bandits to help carry the looted foodstuffs from the communities.

The bandits, however, assured the villagers that the women would not be released after helping to take the foodstuffs to a certain location.

Communities invaded by the bandits include Beni, old and new Dalolo, Aboloso, Ishau and Amale, all in the Paikoro LGA, while Gwari Nyayi, Kabiri and Biri in Munya LGA were also raided.

Narrating how the looting and killing happened, the District Head of Beni, Alhaji Jafaru Umar Sarki, said the operation started on Saturday evening when the armed men on 50 motorcycles stormed the communities in three different groups.

Sarki stressed that the bandits had the audacity to return the following day (Sunday) to complete the looting by sharing themselves into three groups.

According to him, for the three hours which the Sunday operation lasted, helicopter owned by one of the security agencies was hovering over the communities while the bandits were operating on the ground.

He said, “We saw a helicopter moving round the communities for about six times when the bandits were operating but the helicopter did not attack the bandits.

“Immediately the bandits finished the operation and left, we did not see the helicopter again, so we don’t know whether it was providing cover for the bandit or to attack the bandits.”

He disclosed all calls made to relevant security agencies did not yield result, adding, “In fact the Divisional Police Officer told me that they had no fuel in the car.”

The district head, a retired police officer, said the local vigilantes were on ground but their ammunitions got exhausted after over 30 minutes of gun exchange with the bandits.

He said they lost two men, but left the bandits with gun injuries.