Bandits Kill Village Head In Niger One Week After Abduction

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed Mr Zakari Ya’u Idris, the Village Head of Madaka in Rafi Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State.

The Chief of Staff to the Chairman of Rafi LGA, Mohammed Mohammed, confirmed the murder of the village head to Channels Television on Saturday.

Idris was killed a week after he was abducted by his captors who invaded Madaka community on Sunday last week, where they murdered three persons and abducted the village head for a second time.

Mohammed revealed that the bandits had earlier contacted the family of the deceased to pay a ransom of N800,000.

He noted that five persons that were released after they paid their ransom revealed that the Village Head of Madaka had been killed by the bandits.

According to the LGA chairman’s aide, those who gained their freedom said Idris was killed after going through torture in the hands of the gunmen, as they were always beating him.

They further disclosed that the remains of Zakari Idris were buried in the bush by the bandits.

The village head was abducted after his release about a month ago during which he spent three months in the custody of his abductors.

Those killed by the gunmen during the raid on Madaka included a leader of the vigilante group in the community, Isyaku Alhassan, his son Abdulhamid, and one other person.

Scores of other persons were also said to have been injured during the attack while many houses were set ablaze.

Mohammed had at the time told Channels Television that the attackers were camping in a village close to Madaka.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Niger State could not be reached for comments on the killing of the village head.

Similarly, the District Head of Gunna who was abducted in Yakila in the same local government has yet to regain freedom.

The gunmen, according to Mohammed, have yet to get in touch with the family of the district head to demand any ransom.

At least, 50 people have been killed since the renewed attacks by bandits on communities in Niger State.

In Rafi LGA alone, no fewer than 10 persons have been killed in the last one week, with about 33 persons abducted.

Thousands of residents have also fled their homes, with many taking shelter in temporary camps provided by the state government.