Two separate terrorists’ attacks on two Niger communities have left one person dead, while more than 50 others, including women and children, have been kidnapped.
The incident occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
The dead person in Niger was in Tsoho Kabula community in the Munya Local Government Area, where about 20 people were kidnapped and scores of cattle rustled.
Investigation revealed that the attack at Tsoho Kabula spread to Zagzaga but the villagers were reported to have got wind of the impending invasion and disappeared into the bush.
A source who preferred anonymity said a local vigilante providing security for the community was directed by “unknown authority” to leave the community before the invasion of the community by terrorists, which the locals often referred to as bandits.
The source said: “The local vigilante that had provided safety for the people in the area were reported to have been asked to withdraw their service by yet unknown authority only for the bandits to invade the community a day after.
“Less than 24 hours after our men moved out, the bandits struck, attacking our people who were not given any protection.”
It was learnt that those kidnapped have been taken into hiding, but the kidnappers are yet to make contact with their families.
Meanwhile, the second attack took place in Girigori community of Rafi Local Government where about 35 people, mostly women and girls, were kidnapped on Thursday morning.
The report of the incident at Girigori is still sketchy, but one of those that escaped being kidnapped told sympathisers that the gunmen did not kill anyone.
“They only kidnapped people, especially women and girls,” he said.
When contacted, the Permanent Secretary in Charge of Security, Mr. Tariq Abdulkhareem, said that he has not received the report
Abdulkhareem said: Give me some time for me to contact the relevant agencies and I will get back to you later.” But he did not do so despite repeated calls to his cell phones, which were not responded to.