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By Tracy Moses
Armed bandits, suspected to be in their hundreds and wielding sophisticated weapons, have stormed Akere community in Zungeru, Wushishi Local Government Area of Niger State, killing two people and leaving another injured.
The brazen attack occurred a few days after Governor Mohammed Umar Bago assured Nigerians on national television that Niger State was free from security threats, safe for investors, and that residents were living without fear, hunger, or frustration.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to Pointblanknews.com on Friday, said the attackers, numbering nearly 2,000, rode into the area on hundreds of motorcycles, each carrying two or three gunmen. They reportedly blocked the Minna–Kontagora highway at Kundu village around 10 a.m. on Thursday, using it as an escape corridor while heading into Akere and neighbouring Mashegu Local Government Area.
During the assault, the gunmen shot three people they suspected of trying to alert security operatives. A civilian and a member of the local vigilante group were killed instantly, while another victim is receiving treatment at a nearby health facility.
Residents who spoke to our correspondent described the situation as tense, saying the number of casualties could not be immediately confirmed since many villagers fled into the surrounding bushes for safety.
“This is the first time we are seeing such a massive influx of armed men. They came in groups of two or three on motorcycles, all heavily armed, and moved freely into our communities in broad daylight,” one villager who escaped through the bush recounted.
The escapee, appealing to both state and federal authorities, lamented that Akere and its environs had become unsafe. “For now, Akere is a no-go area. People cannot move around. Many are stranded in Zungeru town, unable to return home,” he added.
The villagers urged urgent deployment of security personnel to restore normalcy and enable residents to resume their daily lives.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said he could not immediately confirm the incident. He explained that he had reached out to the Zungeru Divisional Police Officer for details but had yet to provide feedback as of the time this report was filed.
Another resident who spoke to Pointblanknews.com on condition of anonymity confirmed the incident, stressing that fear has gripped the community and many families remain displaced.