Gunman File Photo
More than 60 vigilante operatives in Kebbi state have been reportedly killed following an invasion by gunmen on communities in the state.
A resident of Takita community told BBC Hausa the the villagers counted 63 bodies after the attack, which occurred on Sunday evening.
“When they first came, they kidnapped people and stole cattle. The members of the community started shouting ‘thieves’ after the bandits had left, and the vigilantes immediately mobilised and went after the bandits to rescue the kidnapped victims and stolen cattle,” the resident was quoted as saying.
“The bandits hid on tree tops and as the vigilantes arrived where they hid, the bandits opened fire on them.”
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Nafiu Abubakar, spokesman of Kebbi police command, who confirmed the incident to TheCable, said the gunmen were trying to escape military operations when the vigilantes confronted them.
He, however, said the police are yet to confirm the figure of casualties.
According to Abubakar, the vigilantes were on the trail of the gunmen and they ran into an ambush in Makuku village of Sakaba LGA in Kebbi.
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“There is an ongoing operation in Niger state by air force. So, the bandits in Niger state were escaping out of the state towards Zamfara state. Kebbi state shares border with Niger and Zamfara. The vigilantes sighted the bandits on their way to Zamfara, and instead of reporting to the nearest authority or police station, they confronted the bandits,” he said.
“As a result of that, there was an engagement of fire from both parties which resulted in the loss of lives from the bandits and local vigilantes.”
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