No fewer than six persons were reportedly killed when bandits attacked communities in Rafi and Wushishi local government areas of Niger State.
Among those killed was a pregnant woman.
No fewer than 50 people were also reportedly kidnapped between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.
Residents said before an intervention by both ground troops and air component of the Nigeria Air Force, whom they said engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel for several hours on Wednesday morning, about six communities had been under bandits’ siege since Tuesday.
Locals told newsmen that bandits had held Yakila, Hana-wanka and Kundu communities in Rafi LGA and other communities in Akare axis, Wushishi LGA under siege since Tuesday night up till Wednesday morning.
A resident of Zungeru, a few kilometers from Yakila and Kundu, said the corpses of some of the victims were conveyed on Wednesday morning to Minna, the state capital.
“They (bandits) have been actually operating since Tuesday. And there are casualties because this morning (Wednesday), we saw dead bodies being conveyed to Minna. Among the communities attacked were Yakila and several others around Akare axis.” One of the sources told Daily Trust.
Some residents said some people were killed by stray bullets when the military engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle that lasted for several hours on Wednesday morning.
According to Daily Trust, some abductees were caught in the crossfire when bandits used them as human shields.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, has not issued a statement on the incident.