Communities of farmers in Niger State's Shiroro, Munya, and Rafi local governments have expressed concern over the resurgence of banditry and kidnapping as they began to harvest their maize, cassava, peanuts, and tomatoes.
16 farmers were taken hostage in Rafi and Shiroro LGAs on Saturday and Sunday, according to information from our source.
They expressed concern that after signing a peace agreement with bandits during the planting season, attacks on their communities had resumed.
A local claimed that when bandits broke into the neighbourhood early on Sunday, they kidnapped the top imam of the Luga community in Rafi LG.
The Lakpma Youth Assembly Chairman, Jibrin Abdullahi Allawa, reported to Daily Trust that 15 farmers from the Bassa Community were abducted on the Bassa-Allawa-Pandogari Road on Saturday afternoon.
He claimed that lots of people, including ladies, had left their homes to avoid being kidnapped.
"To enable the farmers to go back to their farms, several communities entered into a peace agreement with them. But bandits have returned, and they ambushed Bassa town in broad daylight, breaking into homes and businesses, and taking their possessions with them, Allawa added.
In a desperate attempt to save his people, he pleaded with the administration.