Some heavily armed Fulani herdsmen on Monday killed five persons in Gbada community in Kaure, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
It was gathered that the attack was carried out at about 3a.m and that several villagers were also injured, while others are still missing.
The gunmen, numbering over 30, reportedly invaded the community at about 3a.m when the villagers were deep asleep.
Several cows were also said to have been stolen.
Gbada and environs situated on the border with neighbouring Kaduna State have come under attacks in recent times by rustlers.
The senator representing Niger East, Senator David Umaru, has condemned the attack, describing it as “barbaric and heinous,” while calling on security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book.
Umaru told Punch that he got a call from some members of the community informing him of the invasion of the rustlers and he promptly alerted the Police command in the state.
The Chairman of Shiroro LGA, Hon Hassan Jagaba, who confirmed the attack to journalists described the onslaught as “inhuman and devastating.”
“On the receipt of information of the invasion, I had to alert the Police at Zumba division, who mobilised their men to the affected community but the attackers had fled with the cattle they rustled before the Police got there,” Jagaba explained.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the state Police command, DSP Bala Elkana, also confirmed the report, saying that the invaders fled to the neighbouring Kaduna State.
He said the anti-cattle rustling team was combing the forest through which the fleeing rustlers were believed to have escaped.
He said that no arrest had been made so far.
Comments