Armed bandits kill 18 people in Nigeria

SANAA, June 1 (YPA) – Armed bandits in Nigeria killed at least 18 people on Sunday and stole thousands of livestock.

Two witnesses and a police spokesman said armed bandits killed at least 18 people in Nigeria’s northwestern state of Katsina, including a local official, and stole thousands of livestock.

At least 500 men riding motorcycles, some carrying assault rifles, stormed the Faskari local government area on Sunday afternoon, the witnesses said.

“So far, 18 people have been confirmed dead and many others are suspected to be killed,” said Isma’ila Ya’u, a resident of the area told Reuters.

The bandits moved to the nearby village of Sabon Garin, where they killed local official Abdelhamid Sani, 55, after they tried to kidnap him, the witnesses and a police spokesman said.

The attackers had taken the stolen cattle towards other villages in the Patsari area. Thousands of residents have fled their homes, the other witness, Sadiq Hassan, said.

Police spokesman Gombo confirmed the attack, adding that the attackers were carrying “sophisticated weapons”.

In the past year, hundreds of people have been killed in armed robberies and kidnappings in gangs of hundreds of people in northwestern Nigeria.

E.M