Bandits kidnap Electoral Commissioner, ex-SUBEB chairman, 30 others in Niger

By Wole Mosadomi, Minna

Armed bandits person struck again successful Niger State, abducting astir 30 people, including a commissioner with the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC), his driver, and a erstwhile Chairman of the Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB).

The victims were reportedly traveling successful abstracted vehicles erstwhile the incidental occurred on the Zugurma–Ibbi roadworthy adjacent the Ibbi National Park, Borgu Local Government Area, connected Monday evening.

It was gathered that the NSIEC commissioner and the erstwhile NSUBEB president were connected abstracted trips, portion the different victims were passengers successful 3 commercialized Sharon buses.

Eyewitnesses said the heavy equipped gunmen, numbering implicit 100, blocked the highway, shooting sporadically into the aerial earlier whisking distant their captives into the forest.

“Before taking to the highway, the bandits archetypal demobilized the policemen stationed astatine the entranceway to the National Park. Farmers moving adjacent went into hiding during the gunfire, and erstwhile they came out, they saw the vehicles abandoned connected the roadside,” 1 witnesser said.

Confirming the attack, the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said the bandits destroyed 2 constabulary patrol vehicles earlier executing the abduction.

“Men of the constabulary tactical teams, successful conjunction with different information agencies and vigilante members, are already trailing the kidnappers with a presumption to rescue the abducted victims and perchance apprehension the gunmen,” helium stated.

Abiodun, however, did not disclose whether immoderate constabulary unit were injured during the attack.

The station Bandits kidnap Electoral Commissioner, ex-SUBEB chairman, 30 others successful Niger appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.