Communities in Agwarra and Borgu local government areas of Niger state have been attacked by terrorists, killing about 42 persons and abducting unconfirmed number of persons including children.
The terrorists according to a source have been attacking villages in Agwarra for the last one week without any opposition, adding that last week, they came angrily and attacked communities at freewill and because there is no security presence in the area.
According to the source, “They killed 37 people in Kasuwa Daji near Papiri, another 5 in Kaima village and abducted many people including children and some of the children are pupils and students of the same St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary schools, Papiri in Agwarra.”
He appealed to the government and security agencies to come to their aid, saying that they have serious crisis across the river where the students were abducted.
He explained that they came out of the forest for about a week now, wrecking havoc in the villages, pointing out that on Saturday alone they burnt one particular market and abducted so many people, including children.
Also, confirming the attack in the Catholic mission house, the Director of Communications, Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese, Rev. Father Stephen Kabirat said the terrorists have killed over forty persons and taken into captivity some persons.
According to him, “our Parish Priest narrowly escaped abduction when the terrorists visited our Mission House three days ago, they destroyed some religious items in the church, carted away two motorbikes and cash worth over two hundred thousand Naira (N200,000).”
He said that they were looking for the Priest but luckily he escaped but they abducted some villagers including children.
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun said that at about 4:30pm on Saturday, suspected bandits from the National Park Forest along Kabe District invaded Kasuwan Daji located at Demo Village via Kabe, killing over 30 persons, burnt the market and looted shops and carted away food items.
He further disclosed that, a joint security team has visited the scene and efforts are ongoing to rescue the victims, assuring that further development will be communicated.
