Gunmen Burn School After Receiving N10m Ransom From Niger Communities

Suspected bandits have razed a public primary school in Dekara, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, days after communities in the area reportedly paid them a N10 million levy to avert attacks.

ADVERTISE HERE:
[email protected]

Residents said the attackers stormed the district headquarters on Wednesday after emerging from the Kainji Lake National Park and set the Central Primary School, Dekara, on fire.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said communities in the district had recently raised the N10 million demanded by the bandits following threats of violent attacks if the money was not paid.

“The bandits demanded N10 million from the communities. We paid because they warned that they would attack us if we failed to comply. Despite receiving the money, they still invaded the district headquarters and burnt down our primary school,” the source said.

The resident explained that the payment was made after the gunmen allegedly assured villagers that they would be allowed to live peacefully in their communities once the levy was settled.

Meanwhile, the bandits were also said to have launched fresh attacks on Dnakau, Lanta and Unguwan Kawo communities in Shiroro Local Government Area, leaving one person dead and another abducted.

Residents identified the abducted victim as Moses Joseph of Unguwan Kawo, while Emma, a resident of Bagna community, was reportedly shot dead during the attacks.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Niger State Police Command were unsuccessful as the command's spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, neither answered telephone calls nor replied to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.