Gunmen attack Niger communities, kill village head, abduct residents

Communities in Munya local government area in Niger state are reeling from the devastating onslaught and havoc wreaked by rampaging gunmen in the municipal on Friday.

At least three persons, including a village head, were killed during an attack on communities in the LGA.

Confirming the attack, Garba Muhammed, chairman of the LGA, said about seven villages were attacked adding that the community head of Dnadna village in Sarkin Pawa, headquarters of Munya LGA, was among the victims.

Muhammad said the gunmen began their operation around 2am and finished around 5am

“Yes, there were casualties and some residents were also kidnapped. From the information I received, they took about three people and three persons were shot dead. Among the people that were killed include a community leader (sarkin Anguwa) of Dnadna village,” TheCable quoted him as saying.

“It was around 2am by the time I heard about the attack. The gunmen started from a village called Tsohon Kabula before they moved to Gini, Fuka, Gupa, and Lapa, a village which shares boundary with Shiroro LGA.

“They then moved to Zidna and later headed to my village in Daza where they kidnapped two people. It is a very long journey and they took a very long time and finished their operation at about 4 to 5 am.”

The LGA chairman said he had requested the intervention of the army to tackle the situation but the officers arrived at about 8 am on Friday.

Speaking on the attacks, Dantala Noma, a politician in Munya, said the gunmen operated freely for over seven hours in different villages in the LGA.

“The gunmen left Chibiani village around 5am this morning,” he said.

“They carted away with many cows and virtually all the residents in the affected villages have escaped to the nearby towns. They operated for over seven hours, moving freely and there was no security anywhere. In fact, it was the same route they followed while invading that they followed while leaving the villages.

“They killed two youths and Malebi Dnadna, the village head of Dnadna community. They kidnapped a woman, one resident of Lapa village and a younger brother of the youth leader in Munya.”