From John Adams, Minna
The district head of Yakila in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulhamid, has been kidnapped by gunmen.
Also kidnapped were a staff nurse at Garin-Gabas whose name was given as Halima and her two children.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) youth leader in the area whose name was not known as the time of filing this report was also taken along with other victims.
The incident took place at about 2am yesterday when the armed bandits raided Yakila and Garin-Gabas, simultaneously.
The two villages are along Zungerun Tegina road, about 45 kilometers from Minna, the state capital.
This latest incident is coming barely one week after the palace of the village head of Pangu in the Gunna district of the same local government area was set ablaze by bandits.
Also burnt during that raid were the hospital built and donated to the community by the World bank as well as several houses and freshly harvested agricultural produce.
Source close to the two communities told our correspondent on telephone that the bandits, who were up to 20, invaded the communities, riding on motorcycles and carrying sophisticated guns, including AK-47 rifles.
Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko Inga, when contacted, confirmed receiving the report early Thursday morning of the attacks.