Bandits show sympathy for a woman, her child, kidnap other 18 passengers in Niger

Bandits on Sunday went on their routine trade in Niger State, kidnapping 18 passengers of the Niger State Transport Authority (NSTA). The bandits operation was carried out at Yakila Village in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State. The bandits were said to have shown sympathy for a woman and her child, who they left at the scene of the kidnapping while taking away other 18 passengers in the vehicle.

Sources narrated that the passengers were traveling from Kotangora to Minna when they ran into the bandits.

It was gathered that the Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Ahmed Inga, acknowledged the kidnapping of the 18 passengers, saying that his entourage saw the scene of the operation the bandits on his way from Kagara where he went to revalidate his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The DG further acknowledged seeing the woman and her child the bandits left out of their operation.

It was also indicated that government official was among the kidnap victims.

The DG was cited to have said in part: “…we have rescued the woman and her baby, and she is in the vehicle with us and we are on our way to Minna. She told us that the bandits blocked the way and went away with the other 18 passengers on the bus.

“No government official was among those kidnapped. I can’t give more than that for now because the woman is in trauma and we cannot be asking her too many questions yet.”