Niger: 18 passengers kidnapped by bandits as state Govt reacts
Niger: 18 passengers kidnapped by bandits as state Govt reacts
Eighteen passengers of the Niger State Transport Authority (NSTA) have been kidnapped by bandits.
The attack occurred at Yakila village in Rafi Local Government Area of the state on Sunday.
The passengers were said to be heading to Minna, the state capital from Kotangora when the incident happened.
The Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Mallam Ibrahim Inga, confirmed the incident to newsmen during a telephone interview.
Inga, who was on his way from Kagara for the revalidation of his APC membership, said they visited the scene where the bandits operated.
He explained that they met a woman with her child who was left by the bandits but 18 other passengers were taken away.
“The only thing I can tell you now is we have rescued the woman and her baby and she is in the vehicle with us and we are on our way to Minna.
“She told us that the bandits blocked the way and went away with other 18 passengers in the bus.
“No government official was among those kidnapped. I can’t give more than that for now because the woman is traumatized and we cannot be asking her too many questions for now,” Inga said.
He, however, promised to get back to our correspondent when he gets more information.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Wasiu Abiodun, neither picked his calls nor responded to messages.
In a reaction, the Niger state Government has appealed for calm over the abduction of 18 passengers while expressing shock on receiving the news of the attack and kidnap of innocent citizens by bandits.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner of Information and Strategy Niger state, Hon. Muhammad Sani Idris confirmed that the abducted persons were on board the state transport vehicle (NSTA) travelling from Kontagora to Minna around 3pm by armed gunmen suspected to be bandits.
He stated that the state government is very disturbed because of the re- surfacing of armed gunmen on our highways, pointing out that ,”it is disturbing and the government shall decisively rescue and ensure such negative development does not continue in the state”.
According to him the state government is earnestly committed in its primary responsibility of protecting the life and property of every citizen.
