Gunmen on Tuesday kidnapped 15 persons and killed two others in Mangwaro, a neighbouring community between Niger and Kaduna States.

Daily Trust learnt that the victims were ambushed on their way from Kaduna at the border community.

Niger State Commissioner for Information Danjuma Sallau, who confirmed the incident yesterday said 10 of the victims were from Gwada in Shiroro Local Government Area; and the remaining five, from Munya Council.

There had been tension in Munya, Shiroro and Rafi Local Government Areas of the state following the alleged influx of bandits fleeing from the neighbouring Zamfara State.

Sallau, who said he was just coming back from Sarkin Pawa, headquarters of Munya Local Government Area, said a combined team of security agencies of the Army, Police, Civil Defence and Local Vigilante had been drafted to area to track down the kidnappers.

He said though the kidnappers had not reached out to families of the captives, the state government was making efforts to rescue them.

He said he would meet with the state’s Commissioner of Police on the issue today.

The spokesman of the state police command, Muhammad Abubakar Dan- Inna, also confirmed the deployment, saying the police, in collaboration with sister security agencies, were already on ground in the area.

•Sourced from a Daily Trust report

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