Farmers Killed and Kidnapped as Bandits Wreak Havoc in Niger State
Naijawebinfo has been informed that a brutal attack on Tuesday morning has claimed the lives of 10 farmers, including women and a Chinese national, from Wayam and Belu-Belu villages in Niger State’s Rafi Local Government Area.
The attack, which occurred at 5 am, saw six of the victims beheaded, while many others were left wounded and are currently receiving treatment at a clinic in Kagara, the headquarters of Rafi LGA. Many others were also abducted during the attack.
A local resident, Bala Tukur, who spoke with Daily Trust, revealed that the residents of Wayam, Belu-Belu, Madaka, and surrounding communities have fled to Kagara town in panic since Tuesday morning.
Tukur attributed the recent surge in bandit attacks to the start of the harvest season, noting that farmers from various local government areas of the state, including Wushishi, Rafi, Shiroro, Mariga, and Kontagora, have begun gathering their crops.
He described the attack on Wayam village near Madaka as brutal, saying, “Nobody is left in the village. We were all sleeping when they came. We never expected such a trauma. Many people have abandoned their farms, and with the crops ready for harvest, it’s going to be a huge loss for the farmers.”
The situation is indeed dire, with many residents struggling to harvest their crops due to the attacks. In a recent incident, residents of Kukoki were forced to pay a hefty N1.5 million to be allowed to harvest their crops, but the bandits returned to attack them just four days later.
