By Our Correspondent
Close to 70 persons have reportedly died from violent attack by brigands who invaded some communities in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
About eight communities are currently said to be under besiegement by bandits, forcing over 1,000 people to flee their homes.
The casualty of those killed by the bandits swelled from 12 when the attack was first reported on Sunday June 9, as the bandits spread to more villages.
Several people who sustained various degree of gun injuries are currently receiving treatment in hospitals in Kuta, Erena and Zumba while the displaced villagers are seeking refuge in seven Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camps in the area.
The police however, said only additional 12 people died from an attack on Sunday.
The Niger state Police Command Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Abubakar
said that more security personnel have been drafted to the affected communities.
However, a report made available to newsmen in Minna, the state capital, by Senator David Umaru, in whose constituency (Niger East senatorial district) the massacre occurred, in the last six days, suspected the attack could be from cattle rustlers, who have killed about 58 people.
Umaru, claimed that 19 people died in Kwaki village, 14 in Barden Dawaki village while eight died in Ajatawyi village.
Other casualties, he said, include seven dead in Gwassa, five in Ajayin Bataro, four others in Bwailo, three in Baton village and two reported dead in Giji village.
The Senator, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to come to the rescue of Niger East constituents from the ravaging bandits.
He urged the president to order the relocation of security chiefs to the area; to immediately curtail the carnage.
“I am in pains and sorrow over the killing of my people by armed bandits who have occupied most of our communities in the past few days.
“It is horrible that over 69 people have been killed and 1,000 displaced and yet, there is no respite for the good people of my constituency.”
The lawmaker added that it has become apparent that the situation is beyond the capacity of the police.
“I, therefore, appeal to president Buhari; to order the military into the area, to stop the bandits.
“I am also calling on the General Officer Commanding of 1 Division, Nigeria Army, Kaduna, to deploy more personnel to save the villagers from the onslaught of the bandits,” Umaru said.
He stressed the need for the state government to give priority to the provision of adequate logistics in assisting security agencies in the area.
The Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Ketso, has visited the injured, at the hospitals, where he assured the people of government’s determination to secure lives and property.
The deputy governor, who was accompanied by various heads of security agents in the state, said government will leave no stone unturned in tracking perpetrators of the attacks.