Nigeria: 15 killed in armed attacks by bandits in country's south-east region

Nearly 15 civilians were killed in violent armed attacks by bandits on communities in south-east Nigeria on Wednesday, the country's Daily Trust newspaper reported, quoting sources. On November 10 morning, about 50 bandits invaded two villages, Binnari and Jab Jab. The villagers retaliated against the armed bandits leading to a conflict. The bandit attack was driven by vengeance, as residents had earlier slain numerous bandits who were suspected of kidnappings, according to the report. The newspaper report revealed that at least 15 locals were killed in the conflict between the two parties. The bandits, on the other hand, suffered seven casualties. The villagers claimed that there are no police officials or military deployed in the villages to protect them from such attacks and kidnappings. The robbers had previously assassinated three local guards and the chief of one of the attacked communities. Following the incidents, local police acknowledged that the villages had been attacked and that they had dispatched units to the region to restore peace. Recent attacks in Northern Nigeria According to the villagers and officials, as quoted by the Associated Press, approximately 30 people were killed in violent assaults targeting rural regions and police personnel in the northern part of Nigeria in recent days. Three assaults have happened in the northern states of Zamfara, Katsina, and Taraba in the last 48 hours. Armed gangs have terrorised local populations in the northwest and central sections of Africa's most populous country. On Wednesday morning, gunmen stormed two villages in Taraba state's Karim Lamido local government area and opened fire on civilians. Police spokesman Usman Abdullahi told AP that a group of 40 people on motorbikes stormed the area and began firing randomly, forcing people to flee and abandon the village. Furthermore, seven law enforcement officers were slain on Monday when gunmen attacked them while they were patrolling in northwest Zamfara state, an eyewitness was quoted as saying. The attackers started firing on a police van carrying the policemen. Seven officers died on the spot before police arrived to transport them to the hospital. Separately, another attack was conducted by gunmen in Katoge and Yanturaku sectors of the Batsari local government area in neighbouring Katsina on Tuesday, killing 11 people, according to police spokesperson Gambo Isa. The gunmen threatening Nigeria's rural towns are former Fulani herders caught up in the country's long-running battle between farmers and nomad cattle herders, AP reported. They are accused of kidnapping around 1,400 children and murdering thousands in states throughout the country's north in the last year. (With inputs from AP, Image: Pixabay/AP)

Advertisement

Nigeria: 15 killed in armed attacks by bandits in country's south-east region

On November 10 morning, about 50 bandits invaded two villages, Binnari and Jab Jab, in south-east Nigeria, in an attack reportedly driven by vengeance.

Advertisement