Three persons were killed and two rice farmers were abducted in a bandit attack on Sunday in the Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
The attack took place around 9:00am between Bangi and Kotonkoro.
The assailants believed to be bandits, blocked the road, shooting at vehicles travelling along the route.
Among the victims were the driver of a car, a young girl, and a passenger identified as Alhaji Ibrahim. Reports had it that they were travelling to the market when the attack occurred.
Shehu Kotonkoro, the owner of the vehicle confirmed the incident, expressing his concern about the lack of security in the area. He noted that the attack happened just 5 kilometres from Kotonkoro.
In addition to the killings, two rice farmers harvesting on their farm about two kilometres from the town were abducted by the bandits.
The bandits also attacked another vehicle carrying bread during the assault.
The Chairman of Mariga Local Government, Abbas Musa Kasuwa-Garba, confirmed the attack and sympathised with the victims’ families.
He highlighted the persistent insecurity in the area due to the proximity to Zamfara, Kebbi, and Kaduna states, where bandits frequently strike before retreating to their camps.