After almost six months of respite, bandits, over the weekend, stormed the Dangunu community in Munya Local Government Area of Niger State, killed one person and abducted 21 villagers.
Among those abducted are 16 members of one family whose father was abducted two years ago by bandits, but later released after the payment of N4 million ransom.
Sources said the father of 16, whose name was given as Mallam Ahmadu Adamu, was later killed by the bandits after a severe beating.
A pregnant woman, who was released by the gunmen because of her condition, broke the news of late Mallam Adamu, saying, “they beat him until he slumped and died in the night.”
The body of the late Adamu was deposited at the river bank by the gunmen for his family to pick up.
The five other abductees are members of Dangunu community, five kilometres from Sarkin Pawa, the headquarters of Munya local government.
Residents said the gunmen first abducted the five villagers before going to the residence of the late Adamu, where they abducted him, his wives and children.
“On their way out of the community, it was gathered that the bandits released the first five villagers kidnapped because the wooden boat they used to evacuate their victims could not convey all of them. They, however, went away with Adamu and members of his family.”
The heavily armed gunmen, it was gathered, entered the Dangunu by boat from the river between Chikun in Kaduna State and the town.
The latest incident, the eyewitness said, may be the handiwork of informants since most farmers have completed the harvests of their crops.
Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Wasiu Abiodun, could not be reached for confirmation of this report.
