Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted 18 village traders in Padogeri in Rafi local government area of Niger state.
The incident reportedly occurred Tuesday when the traders were travelling to Bassa market in the local government.
It was learnt that the gunmen have been terrorising villagers around Niger, Kebbi and Katsina states.
Eyewitness account said, “the traders were travelling from Pandogari town in Rafi local government area of Niger state to Bassa village for the weekly market in town before they were abducted by gunmen”.
The traders were said to be in an 18 sitter bus when they ran into a blockade by the gunmen who shot sporadically into the air thereby creating fear among the traders before kidnapping the victims.
The witness who pleaded anonymity said the traders who were mostly women were rounded up, forced into a waiting bus and driven into the bush far away from where the incident occurred.
It was not the first time that such an incident would occur, the witness said, adding that “it has now become a regular business around this area but it appears that no one is doing anything about.”
The armed bandits are said to have collected all the cell phones belonging to their victims and had been making contacts with their families demanding for ransoms between N200,000 and N500,000 from each victim to secure their release.
“They are asking the relations to pay the ransom at a location as far as Funtua town in Katsina state to avoid being tracked by the police. Some of the traders are already complying,” the source said.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Niger state command, DSP Mohammad Abubakar when contacted said, “we have heard of such incident as you heard but no official report has been made to us.
“We are investigating the matter; we will get back to you when we get official report.”
