No fewer than 20 Vigilantes were killed on Tuesday in an ambush by armed bandits in Kotonkoro village of Mariga Local Government Area of Niger state.
The bandits also reportedly attacked a military base in same area on Wednesday and one soldier was killed, while another was kidnapped.
Abu Hashimu, the commandant of the vigilantes in the local government, confirmed the incident in the area,
Abu said the late vigilantes were returning from a search operation, when they were ambushed.
According to him, 16 of his men were killed on the spot during the attack, while four others were shot dead while trying to escape from the bandits.
In his words: “the slain vigilantes were returning from search operation when they were ambushed. 16 of them were killed on the spot while the bandits pursued 4 others who tried to escape and gunned them down also.
“The bodies of the slain vigilantes have been recovered and a joint security operation comprising of military and vigilantes has gone in search of the bandits.”
