At least, 21 people including the village head lost their lives on Thursday afternoon when bandits in their numbers invaded a market in Madaka, an agrarian community in Rafi local government area of Niger state.
Residents said the attackers invaded the market around 3pm when the market was at its peak of operations and started shooting sporadically at people.
Many people sustained varying degrees of injuries and are receiving treatment at the IBB specialist hospital, in Minna, the Niger state capital.
Dozen others, including children, were also reportedly kidnapped while properties like motorcycles, cars, houses, shops and goods belonging to traders worth millions were burnt by the attackers.
Local residents reported that the attack came just a day after bandits attacked Pangu Gari, a neighboring village, killing the district head and four others.
A local leader, Alhaji Isah Bawale confirmed the incident in a telephone interview and said the entire village and neighbouring areas are still reeling from the attacks.
The secretary, coalition of Shiroro association, Saidu Salihu described the attack as “severe” and “unfortunate”.
The Niger state commissioner for homeland security, Brigadier general Bello Abdullahi Mohammed (retd), when contacted, confirmed reports of the attack but didn’t spare much details as preliminary investigations are still ongoing by different security apparatus stationed in the state.
Niger state has come under a series of attacks in recent years, where many persons have been killed and thousands of others displaced.
