Niger State Government has raised the alarm that no fewer than 63 persons, including farmers, women and under-aged children have been kidnapped by gunmen suspected to be armed bandits, as two deaths have been recorded while about 1,000 others have been displaced in the current upsurge in the banditry attacks in Mariga local government area of the state.

Raising the alarm was the Acting Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) Malam Salihu Garba while briefing the newsmen in his office at Ebitu Ukiwe road, GRA Minna on Thursday, adding that the incidents occurred in three communities of Marisa, Shadade and Kasuwa near Bangi, the Headquarters of Mariga local government council of the state between 2nd August -Wednesday 9th August 2023.

The NSEMA Boss stated further that the state Governor, His Excellency Mohammed Umaru Bago was very concerned about the violent attacks on innocent farmers and their families in the Council areas, stressing that if the activities of the suspected armed bandits were not urgently curtailed by government in collaboration with the security agencies in the state that the insecurity challenges was capable of leading to serious food insecurity not only in Mariga LGA or in Niger State but in the neighbouring states as farmers and their families have started moving to the Internally Displaced Person camps in Bangi the Local Government Secretariat and in the neighbouring Kontagora Local Government area of the State.

According to him, in Mariga local Government area of Niger, over 1000 people were displaced in the current banditry attacks in some three communities in the local government areas while 63 people were kidnapped and so far two people have been killed and in Munya local government one person was kidnapped and over 500 persons were also displaced as a result of banditry activities.

He stated further that in Mariga LGA, over 1000 people were displaced adding that these displaced people/ individuals are in Kontagora while some of them are in Bangi, Primary school but a large chunk of the displaced people are taking refuge either with their relations and kind-hearted people in same Bangi, headquarters of Mariga local Government council and in Kontagora local government area of the state.

He however pointed out that the people were in very pitiable situation, but emphasized that NSEMA has started mitigating the effects of the traumatic experience of the victims by saving their lives first. (Nigerian Tribune)

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