At least 15 villagers and a mobile policeman were reportedly killed in Beri town in the Bobi district of Mariga Local Government of Niger State on Monday by bandits.
According to Channels Television report, men of the local vigilante were able to kill five of the bandits.
The Beri Police Station was, however, burnt by the bandits with several people reported to have been injured during the stampede that accompanied the arson on the police station.
Another set of bandits stormed the Garin- Gabas on the same day during which they faced stiff opposition from the youths of the town.
The number of casualties on both sides could not be immediately ascertained.
Also today, some bandits raided Ungwan Bako in the Kotonkoro district of Mariga Local Government Area abducting many people mostly women and children.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed the incidents but did not give details.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Government says it is taking measures to ensure the release of Islamic School children abducted by bandits in Tegina, Rafi Local Government.
Giving an update on the abduction to reporters at the Government House on Monday, the State Deputy Governor, Ahmed Ketso disclosed that the government was in pursuit of the bandits and efforts are being put in place to identify the bandits.
Ketso said that though the numbers of the kidnapped school children is not fully ascertained, efforts by security agencies to secure their release have been intensified.
Noting that there are many government schools in Tegina, he said the government was proactive to have deboarded the boarding schools and made sure every primary and secondary school has a semblance of the security team that can be able to respond immediately.
Describing the situation as unfortunate, the deputy governor said that the Islamiyya school has three components comprising of the nursery, primary, and junior secondary school.
He assured that strategies are in place to secure the release of the abductees the same way those of Kagara boys were released ruling out the option of paying the ransom.
“We don’t pay ransom to abductors. We are trying to negotiate to see how we can bring them back safely,” he said.
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