A newlywed man, identified as Sani, was among 21 persons shot dead by bandits who invaded a weekly market in Madaka, an agrarian community in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State on Thursday.

Sani, a butcher who resided in Kagara, the headquarters of Rafi LGA, was said to have gone to the market to sell meat when he was shot during the attack.

He reportedly got married about three weeks ago.

Also, Muslim women were reportedly forced to break their fast by bandits during the attack.

Residents said the attack was launched around 3pm on Thursday when commercial activities had peaked.

One resident, Salihu Abdullahi, told Daily Trust at IBB Specialist Hospital where his 8-year-old daughter shot during the attack was admitted that bandits ordered the women to drink water or risk their lives.

“We were at the neighbouring village where we went to mine gold when we saw people running. Some people started jumping into the river, even those who didn’t know how to swim. So, I rushed home on my motorcycle to pick up my family.

“On my way, I was stopped to go back, that they had taken over the community already. They burnt down our clinic and shops containing goods worth millions of naira, motorcycles, trucks, foodstuffs and houses. They gathered our women and forced them to break their fast. One of them that attempted to resist was beaten mercilessly.

“My little daughter was among those they shot. She’s 8-year-old. In the first place, I counted 11 corpses. More bodies were later recovered. And uptil now, many people have not been accounted for because many sustained bullet wounds and they ran to the bush. Some people died in the bush.

“Over the years, vigilantes have protected our communities. We contribute money to pay them and buy them food items to enable them face the security job and they have been doing well. Since we formed the vigilante, bandits have not attacked our community. We didn’t know what happened, the commander was arrested and they asked them to stop operation.”

Residents alleged that bandits invaded their community one week after the vigilante commander was arrested by the police and his boys were ordered to stop operations by the state government over alleged illegal arrest of herders.

The Madaka Youth Leader, Saidu Bwale, said that the Thursday attack was one of the deadliest on the community.

Chairman, Rafi Local Government, Ayuba Usman Katako, said that the bandits had invaded Pangu Gari on Wednesday and rustled cattle and goats before they attacked Madaka on Thursday.

“In Madaka, many people were killed. Till now, we can’t ascertain the number of casualties until when those who have fled return home that we will be able to ascertain the number of people that they have kidnapped or that are still missing.

“At least, 21 people including the village head, Saleh, lost their lives during the attack.

The Sarkin Hausawa Madaka, Garba Mai-Haja, who sustained severe gunshots injuries died in the early hours of Friday at the IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna.

Residents said seven people, comprising four men and three women including children were receiving treatment at the IBB Specialist Hospital.

Secretary, Coalition of Shiroro Association, Saidu Salihu, described the attack as severe and unfortunate.

He called on the federal and state governments to renew efforts in the fight against insecurity in Shiroro, Munya and Rafi LGAs.

Residents decried absence of security operatives despite that the area had come under attack several times in the last five years.

Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Bello Abdullahi Mohammed, a retired brigadier general, confirmed the attack to our correspondent on the telephone.

Though he did not give details of the attack, he said the state government was working in collaboration with security agencies to put and end to the incessant attacks on farming communities in the state.

Daily Trust