No fewer than 50 motorcycle-riding bandits attacked a rural village in Niger State, killing ten people, including women and children.
The bandits were claimed to have killed several of the women who refused to be raped by them.
Chronicle NG gathered that the incident happened in the early hours of Tuesday when the residents were preparing for their farms.
According to a source who declined to be named for fear of being attacked by the bandits, the incident took place in the Wayam community of Sabon-Gari District in the Rafi Local Government Area of the state.
According to the informant, the bandits, totalling over 50, rode motorcycles and shot randomly to scare off residents.
According to the source, some of the bandits who tried to rape the victims but were denied went ahead and slaughtered the women, while others proceeded to set houses, shops, and barns ablaze.
“The bandits came into the village very early in the morning. They were riding on motorcycles in large numbers and shooting sporadically to scare the villagers.
“Some of them burnt houses and barns. At least 10 people were killed. Some died from bullet wounds.
“Some women who refused to be raped were slaughtered. They attacked us for several hours, and there was no security presence throughout the time,” the source said.
According to a source in the community who requested anonymity due to fear of attack, the community is currently deserted after the incident.
Those killed have reportedly been buried amid cries from loved ones.
The source stated that the bandits always retreated to Kaduna State anytime they attacked the communities, as the affected towns bordered Kaduna, especially the Birnin Gwari axis of the state.
“The community has been deserted by residents fearing for their lives. No security personnel have come here. When they finished the attack, the bandits retreated to the Birnin Gwari axis of Kaduna State, which borders the Wayam community,” the source said.
Six months ago, a bandit attacked the Madaka community, a few kilometres from Wayam community, killing no fewer than 60 residents.
At the time of filing this report, the Niger State Police Command spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, had yet to comment on the incident.
