Over 30 people have been killed by bandits in Kachiwe and adjourning villages in Sarkin Pawa, headquarters of Munya Local Government Area of Niger State.
The people were said to have been killed on Tuesday when the bandits sneaked in from their hideout in Kaduna State.
A source from one of the villages said: “A lot of people were killed during the attack.
“More than 30 people were killed because they raided many communities in the area.”
The Secretary to the Government of Niger State, Alhaji Ahmed Matane, confirmed the attack during a telephone interview in Minna, but did not give the actual number of those who died from the attack.
Matane said: “Yes, it is true, but we don’t know the exact number, but the security people are trying to verify.
“The bandits went into about three communities, they burnt one of the villages completely.
“For now, we can’t say the exact number of casualties from the attack.”
Matane said the state government was not resting on its oars to rid the state of crime and criminality.
Similarly, the Commissioner of Police in Niger State, Monday Kuryas, confirmed the attack in a telephone interview in Minna.
Kuryas said investigation into the matter had commenced to enable them track down the perpetrators of the criminal act.
He said: “A team of policemen have been despatch to the area to safeguard lives and property of people of Sarkin Pawa.”
On the attack in Kagara Rafi LGA by gunmen, he said three people were killed.