Following the recent kidnapping rampage in Abuja, bandits strike again in Garam , a border town between Niger and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to a source, the attack on Tuesday night was the fourth in a series of attack by the hoodlums in the community within a month.
It was also gathered that the invaders killed one person and abducted nine others.
Several witnesses reported that, on Monday the bandits were sighted on their motorcycles in the community, asking residents for directions.
“I saw people running when the bandits arrived. I also peeped where I was hiding and I saw some of them using scarves to cover their faces, while some used masks. Some of them wore combat trousers, ” an eyewitness said.
The bandits, were reported to have returned to the community for the attack on Tuesday night.
While recounting the attack, a resident said, “The bandits started attacking around 10:30 pm. They started burgling shops, especially the shops where those Hausa boys were sleeping. They later entered a house close to ours, forced the gate open, broke the windows and removed the burglary, but none of the occupants slept at home.
“Since the last attack on January 2, most people have stopped sleeping at home. They come in the morning, and leave at night. But after two weeks of relative peace, some people decided to return the same day the bandits strike again.”
Another resident who pleaded anonymity expressed dissapointment in the soldiers of 102 Battalion, who failed to respond promptly to the community’s distress call or act in defense against attack.
He said, “They only flashed light and went back without making nay attempt to engage the bandits.
“The soldiers arrived at 1:45 am, drove around and went back. They came back at 3:45 am and left again when the bandits had successfully kidnapped and left. The residents were just left to face the horror with no help from the military.”
