Local vigilante groups in Ibbi town, Niger State have taken the fight to bandits who have been terrorizing and kidnapping residents of the community for ransom. The vigilantes killed no fewer than 50 bandits in their camps at the bottom of a mountain within Kainji National Park, following the abduction of 12 people from the community about two weeks ago.
According to a source from the community, the vigilantes, with support from their colleagues from Niger South, went after the bandits in a raid that started four days ago and ended yesterday. During the raid, the vigilantes lost two of their men, while the bandits killed nine of the 12 people in their captivity, including a Sharia Court registrar abducted around Ibbi in Mashegu local government area of Niger State.
The vigilantes dumped the bodies of the bandits at the Kainji National Park. A resident of Ibbi, Abdul Ahmed, told LEADERSHIP that some bandits had recently taken over some unmanned parts of the National Park, from where they launched attacks on the people of the area.
He said the incessant attacks prompted the vigilante groups from other parts of the state to join forces with the local unit in flushing out the bandits, killing no fewer than 50 of them, and that, unfortunately, the terrorists killed nine of the 12 villagers in their custody.
A senior official confirmed that the operation of the vigilante had the backing of the authorities, and the police public relations officer, Niger State Command, Wasiu Abiodun, also confirmed that vigilantes were engaged in complementary operations in and around Ibbi and the National Park area.
In Kaduna State, bandits killed nine villagers, including four local vigilantes, at the Sabon Layi community of Birnin Gwari Local government area of Kaduna State. The bandits stormed the area in large numbers, shooting sporadically and killing nine persons before abducting over 20 others and rustling several animals.
In response to this attack, the Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch yesterday neutralized some of the fleeing bandits in Sabon Layi village in Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State. The commissioner for internal security and home affairs, in a statement, said the ministry received a distress call of bandits attacking Sabon Layi village. The Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch mobilized promptly to the location, and on arrival at Sabon Layi, a thorough scan revealed normal human activities at the reported location.
However, about four kilometers north of Sabon Layi village, the bandits were sighted fleeing for cover from the aircraft. They were engaged and neutralized in several passes. No further movement was observed after the strike.
