At least 50 sacks of corn were also damaged by the attackers during the assault, according to reports on Saturday.
According to reports, the attackers ambushed the victims as they were taking their harvested corn home, killing everyone inside the vehicle before setting it on fire.
Seven farmers were killed by the bandits as they were merely attempting to move the harvested maize. The perpetrators waited until the victims were ready to depart after loading the vehicle with fifty sacks of corn before they started shooting. They burned the truck and the loaded corn after killing the victims, according to a source.
The source added that because of the continuous violence and kidnappings committed by bandits, farmers in Mariga have had a difficult time harvesting their crops this year.
According to reports, terrorists assassinated Mallam Danjuma, a resident of Kontagora, the Kontagora Local Government Area headquarters, after reportedly extorting N20 million from his family.
The victim reportedly spent three weeks in custody before being executed.
According to sources, one of the people who escaped the captors informed Danjuma’s family about his passing.
Kontagora resident Yahaya Suleiman told our correspondent that throughout the past several weeks, kidnappings had increased in frequency in some parts of the town.
The seven farmers’ deaths have been confirmed by SP Wasiu Abiodun, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command.
“Vigitante men from Wamba/Yan-Sakai were ambushed within Makogi/Ungwan Elbi by suspected kidnappers on November 16th, around 3 pm, unfortunately causing the loss of some of the members’ lives,” he stated.
According to Abiodun, police and military tactical teams have mobilized combined security operations to prevent recurrence and guarantee a peaceful harvest season.
