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Bandits have reportedly killed 13 farmers in the Alawa community of the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The bandits were said to have tracked down the farmers to their farms on Monday, killing them over claim that they supplied intelligence on bandits movement to security agencies.
The Chairman of the Shiroro LGA, Akilu Isyaku, confirmed the killing of the 13 farmers in an interview with a local radio station in Minna on Wednesday.
According to him, the bandits shot nine of the victims to death on the same spot while four others were killed at a different location on the same day.
A resident, who did not identify himself, said the bandits targeted the community over allegations that members supplied intelligence on the movement of bandits to security agencies.
An unconfirmed statement quoted the acting Niger State Governor, Yakubu Garba, as describing the attack as satanic and callous.
Garba was also quoted as commiserating with the affected families, community members and the entire people of the Shiroro LGA over the gory incident.
When The PUNCH contacted the Chief Press Secretary to the deputy governor, Umi Abdullahi, to confirm the statement, he said it was not an official confirmation.
She said, “The acting Governor is waiting for the security agencies to get over with their findings before making any official statement.”
Asked if the confirmation credited to him was made by him, Abdullahi said it was not official.
The PUNCH learnt that following the incident, many farmers had deserted their farms over fears of bandits’ attack.
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