Many Abducted As Bandits Sack Communities In Taraba

Several persons including some women and children have been abducted by bandits who invaded farming communities around Garba-Chede in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State, Daily Trust reports.

The bandits in their numbers invaded the affected communities Sunday night, forcing the residents to flee during the operation that lasted for hours.

Some of the affected communities include  Garbatau, Mirimidankol, Gidan Hamidu, Dangiwa and Nayinawa, Garin Gima, Bantaguru, ShaDussa, Garin Bose, Mailabari, among others.

A resident, Ali Dauda Garba-Chede, told Daily Trust in a telephone interview that hundreds of refugees including women and children had run to Garba-Chede town from the villages sacked by the bandits.

He said security agents had yet to go to the area, noting that hunters and vigilantes who went to some of the affected communities left because they could not confront the bandits.

Some of the residents that escaped to Garba-Chede told Daily Trust that the bandits rode on motorcycles and went from village to village abducting people and rustling cattle.

He said more than 15 communities were sacked by the bandits.

“The bandits are in large number and well armed. They rode on motorcycles with each motorcycle carrying two to three persons,” one of those who escaped from the affected  villages said.

The police spokesman in the state, SP Usman Abdullahi, confirmed the incident but said 14 persons were kidnapped according to records available to the police.