Suspected cattle rustlers kill 11 in Niger

No fewer than 11 persons have been confirmed killed when armed cattle rustlers invaded some villages in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

The invaders however, met some stiff resistance from local vigilantes who engaged them resulting in the killing of eight of the rustlers while three of the vigilantes lost their lives.

Meanwhile, member of the National Assembly representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator David Umaru has appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to urgently provide relief materials for victims of rainstorm that occurred in Kuta, headquarters of Shiroro Local Government Area of state, which left over 1, 000 villagers homeless.

Senator Umaru, who is from the area made the appeal during a sympathy visit to the victims whose houses were blown off by the storm and damaging properties worth over N500 million.

The cattle rustlers attack left many houses destroyed and properties destroyed in Kwati, Basa and Kaore villages in Lakpan area of the local government and they succeeded in stealing many cows during the attack.

Head of the vigilantes in Kwati village Ibrahim Sule said in an interview with journalists that the youths had to confront the rustlers with bare hands because of lack of police presence in the area.
He explained that in the clash that followed the hot chase, one of his men and 22 years old Bashir Guduma was killed while eight of the rustlers also died in the battle.

In a condolence visit to the people of the area, the Senator representing Niger East at the National Assembly, Senator David Umaru, decried increasing activities of cattle rustlers in parts of the state and therefore called on government to step up security in the affected places.

He said, “The activities of cattle rustlers are becoming a major concern because these have increased in recent times and the cow thieves seemed to be having their way. The only organisation that is helping to rescue the villagers is what they called the “Yanbaga or local vigilantes.”

Umaru, who expressed surprise at the extent of damage caused by the rainstorm, described the disaster as monumental, adding that, the intervention of government and NEMA was urgently necessary to cushion its devastating effect on the victims now facing severe hardship.

He commiserated with the people and assured that he will contact relevant authorities for urgent intervention in alleviating their sufferings occasioned by the incidence.

While welcoming the Senator to his palace, the District Head of Kuta, Alhaji Garba Bangajiya whose palace was also destroyed by the rainstorm said his people were shocked and devastated by the disaster.