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The activities of terrorists in Niger State took a different dimension on Sunday, when they set two tankers loaded with diesel ablaze in Saminaka, Lapai Local Government Area of the state.

The gunmen, who invaded the community at about 8pm, last Sunday, also abducted three women in the process. The three women, including an owner of a restaurant, Zainab Usman, and two of her workers were whisked away by the gunmen.

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A source told Daily Sun that it was in the process of the sporadic shooting by the gunmen that the two diesel tankers were hit by bullets and went up in flames with the entire content and the tankers burnt.

One of the residents, Mohammed Isah, said that the community has been thrown into panic since Sunday, following the attack by the gunmen.

“When we heard the gunshots, we started running for safety. The bandits were just shooting up and down. Saminaka is not a big village, the entire community has been thrown into panic with this recent kidnapping,” he said.

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In a related incident at Allawa community in Shiroro local government area of the state, gunmen numbering about 50, were said to have invaded a village, about 500 metres from the community, on Friday, at about 11am, killed one man and abducted eight women, including three children of the same father. The gunmen, a source close to the community, told Daily Sun that the women were taken to a worship place in the village and were gang raped one after the other before taken them away.

Our source disclosed that the gunmen have established contact with the husbands and relations of the women and are asking for N2 million ransom for the release of each of the women.

A man identified as Mallam Kabiru was shot and killed as he tried to escape when the gunmen invaded the village. He said the majority of those kidnapped were women because they could not run like the men, adding that a man also died of shock after three of his children were taken away by the gunmen.

Although he said there were soldiers stationed in Allawa, they could not respond to the distress calls by the people, making the gunmen have a field day.

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Meanwhile, the Niger state Police Command has confirmed the attack on the Saminaka community and the abduction of three women. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, also confirmed that two loaded diesel tankers were hit by stray bullets, adding that the police tactical teams and vigilance members have been drafted to the area.

“Efforts are ongoing to rescue the abducted victims,” he stated.

(Sun)

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