Bandits Invade Bwari, Communities In Niger, Kidnapping 40, Killing Five

At least 40 persons were kidnapped and five were killed when robbers raided Bwari local council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja and two towns in Niger state.

Garam and Azu are two localities in Niger State’s Tafa Local Government. They can reach Bwari in just five minutes.

Robbers stormed Garam, a border community with FCT, on Saturday, December 23, killing a pastor from the Redeemed Christian Church of God and kidnapping 18 others.

On Thursday, December 28, bandits raided Kuduru, a Bwari village bordering Garam, kidnapping 18 people and killing one.

Bandits also entered Azu on Friday, December 29, killing three individuals and capturing eight more.

Mrs. Juliana, a resident of Garam, said the bandits inquired about the house of their target the first time they arrived.

She went on to say: “The bandits entered the wrong house, kidnapped two boys who later led them to the house of their target.”When they arrived, they kidnapped the entire family, but as they were leaving, they shot the guy (their target), a pastor at the Redeemed Christians Church of God, in front of his wife and three children.”

On Thursday, December 28, bandits attacked Kuduru, a Bwari town that shares a border with Garam, and kidnapped 18 people.

It was further gathered that when the wife realised that she left her six-month-old baby behind, she asked for permission of the bandits to go carry the baby, and she was followed back to the house by the only female among the bandits.

When the female bandit’s patience ran out, she abandoned the woman, joined the others, and fled with the other 13 kidnapped people.”The pastor’s wife, it was learned, is a teacher at one of Bwari’s government secondary schools.”

According to another eyewitness, the bandits went to the home of a military soldier and demanded his rifle and uniform from his wife.

“The wife informed them that her husband is on call.” They, on the other hand, took two of his children.”

The eyewitness added that 13 persons were kidnapped, while a five-year-old boy of the Redeemed pastor was killed was abandoned by the bandits at the riverside because he couldn’t cross the river.

The boy was rescued by the vigilante who went on the trail of the bandits.