Terrorists killed 13 vigilantes in the Mariga local government area of Niger State during an attempted invasion on Thursday morning.
In the same day, they also abducted an unknown number of commuters from five vehicles while blocking the Minna-Kontagora road.
The situation escalated after the Army refuted claims regarding the occupancy of a military training camp in Kontagora, leading to increased bandit activities.
Just the night before, a military officer and nine farmers were abducted, with three of the farmers killed.
Niger State Speaker Abdulmalik Sarkindaji urged the Army to acknowledge the bandit presence at the military training ground.
He reported that over 20 individuals were abducted during the road blockade and that families of previous kidnapping victims had paid ransoms to bandits operating from the forest near the military camp.
Sarkindaji emphasized the urgency for the Army to take action against the bandits rather than dismissing community concerns. He shared that residents have described the military training camp as a refuge for bandits who launch attacks from there.
Kidnapped victims released after ransom payments confirmed they were held in the same area, visible from the Kontagora Army Barracks.
The Speaker called for immediate military intervention to eliminate the bandit threat, asserting that the military’s primary duty is to protect citizens.
He expressed the commitment of local representatives to voice their constituents’ grievances to the federal government and relevant authorities.
CREDIT: Allneeds, THE NATION
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