Armed Bandits Attack Manta Village In Niger

Armed bandits on Tuesday attacked Manta village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger state.

According to SaharaReporters, the bandits heavily armed with sophisticated weapons invaded the community on motorcycles on Tuesday night and started shooting sporadically.

A source that spoke on the incident said, “Manta village of Manta district in Shiroro Local Government Area was under siege by the armed bandit last night. They shot into the air frequently to instil fear in the victims.”

The source further stated that the incident led to the loss of lives but the number of those affected has not been ascertained.

This is the fourth reported attack in Niger State in the last one week.

In a related development, Northern elders have rejected recent comments credited to Sheikh Abubakar Ahmad Gumi accusing the military of triggering the raging banditry in parts of the North.

Naija News reports that Gumi who have been meeting with bandits in different forests to preach peace had accused non-Muslim soldiers of attacking innocent people and their villages to cause chaos in the North.

Reacting to Gumi’s allegation in a statement by its National Coordinator, Zana Goni, the elders said cleric’s allegations were not a representation of the position of the region.

The group called North East Elders for Peace and Development vowed to resist attempts by any individual or group to profile the military, which they maintained, remained the most visible symbol of national unity and cohesion.

They wondered why an Islamic cleric and scholar, who had taken the initiative to discuss with bandits, will end up taking sides, as his statements suggest.