News Obiaks News

Villagers in Rumache, Kukoki ward of Shiroro local government area of Niger state were fast asleep when armed bandits struck in the early hours of Friday, January 17, killing their traditional ruler.

The bandits murdered Mallam Ahmad Yakubu Rumache at about 2 am before abducting 17 people in four different communities. Among those abducted is the son of the murdered traditional ruler. The Nation reports that the gunmen attacked homes, took away belongings before setting buildings on fire. According to the report, many of the villagers were injured while trying to escape. The incident was confirmed by the chairman of the local government, who said the attack happened unawares. The attack happened at midnight around 1 to 2 pm. They were many and they took the villagers unaware. No one could ascertain their numbers because it was night,” he said. He also confirmed that so far, it was only the village head that was killed. He said security agents and vigilantes are making efforts to rescue the kidnapped villagers. He pleaded with the government to intervene as he added that the local government now needs urgent prayers. “I need government intervention because of the way this is going, we need government intervention,” he added. He lamented that the attacks have become a daily occurrence in the local government area. The chairman said it was no longer news that attacks on the local government is now a daily occurrence. “People have been displaced and ironically made circumstantial but avoidable refugees in their own ancestral land,” he lamented.