The office of vigilante at Ebbo village in Lapai local government of Niger State was allegedly attacked by scores of bandits killing one person and injuring another in the community.
According to reports, the sad occurrence took place at about 11pm on Wednesday.
The gunmen also raided Angwan Dajin Gomna in kpada community where they kidnapped five people.
In Zago and llafiyan Zago villages they reportedly whisked away five other persons.
NEWSMEN report the bandits moved from house to house attacking and dispossessing the villagers of their property.
An eyewitness, Ismaila Saba Favu, a journalist from Ebbo, who was around when the incident happened said the bandits operated for six hours but took to their heels when they were eventually overpowered by the vigilante group.
He narrated that the criminals entered the community through the bush path, Wednesday night but were met with the firepower of the vigilante group for about six minutes.
He said, ”Though a vigilante was killed, our local security fought them and they escaped with injuries through gunshots and bites from our security dogs.”
While calling on the state government to tackle the insecurity, he lamented that the activities of bandits in the council was getting worse by the day.
”The bandits operated from house to house. They attacked a vigilante office, killed one vigilante, while another vigilante sustained serious injury”.
In the other three villages of Angwan Dajin Gomna, Zago and lLafiyan Zago where the bandits operated for about six hours without any security personnel to responding, they abducted ten villagers.
Mallam Musa from lLafiyan Zago village called on the Niger State government to provide adequate measures to address the situation and arm vigilantes with sophisticated weapons to help them fight bandits in the state.
He stated, “we need to take serious action against these bandits, especially in by providing security personnel, including the vigilantes with sophisticated arms before they can adequately face the gunmen and take control of most of our villages.”
“That is why we are calling on our local government chairman, State Assembly representative, Senator and House of Representatives, and state Government to please rise up to the challenge and help us”.
Confirming the attack, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PRO, DSP Wasiu Abiodun said suspected armed men attacked the vigilante office at Ebbo village via Lapai, shooting sporadically.
” Unfortunately, one of the vigilante members was shot dead, and one other sustained injury.
Police tactical team have been drafted to the area and effort is ongoing to apprehend the hoodlums.”
NEWSMEN further gathered that on Monday, armed bandits stormed Gunu community also in Niger State and unleashed mayhem on the people of the community.