By Fatima Zahra Muhammad
ASHENEWS reports that the Chairman of Shiroro local government area of Niger state, Akilu Isyaku Kuta, and the Assistant Youth leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area, Suleiman Saidu Galkogo narrowly escaped death when they ran into bandits at Egwa village along the Gwada-Kuta road on Sunday morning.
Galkogo, in a telephone conversation told ASHENEWS that his brother, Umar was killed in a separate attack on Gwada-Zumba road.
Reports indicate that the bandits had earlier invaded some communities in the shiroro local government area of Niger state where they rustled an unidentified number of cattle.
Three people were also abducted in Chiri and Bmanape communities, all in the Shiroro local government area of Niger state.
Confirming the incident, the Spokesperson of the Coalition of Shiroro Associations (COSA), Salis Sabo in a statement made available to ASHENEWS, said that the council chairman and the youth leader were among other commuters stranded on the Egwa-Kuta/Gwada road when the bandits tried to move the stolen cattle to their destination.
“The attack is believed to have been masterminded to rustle cattle. However, while trying to move the unruly cattle to their destination, the bandits blocked the highway at Egwa village where many innocent victims were caught in the web.
“Out of panic, a motorist had a fatal accident along Egwa-Kuta road. He is presently receiving treatment at Gwada.”
The group also lamented the absence of security agencies during the attack.
“The terrorist launched a coordinated attack on innocent people moving unchallenged from one village to another for more than 5 hours in a broad daylight.
“While it is understandable that insecurity has become a national phenomenal; however, it bewilders the mind how a governed space like Gwada, which is less than 30 minutes drive from the state capital could be attacked for more than 5 hours by bandits without any engagement from our security men,” the statement further said.
