Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
There was a bloodbath in a village market in Madaka community in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State as bandits invaded it, killing a village head and 22 other persons.
A source close to the community but preferred anonymity said, the attack happened at about 3pm on Thursday when the village market was in full swing with beehive of activities.
It was further gathered that the bandits set ablaze about 50 shops, motorcycles and cars during the attack.
The bandits were said to have stormed the market and started shooting sporadically into the air, forcing people to scamper for their lives.
Sources said that the majority of the people killed were those who attempted to escape the onslaught, while several others were injured, including women and children.
Unspecified number of the villagers, mostly women, were abducted and taken away during the raid, which the people said lasted for over two hours.
The gunmen were yet to make any contact with their families as at the time of the report. The district head of Madaka, Alhaji Isah Bawale, who is currently taking refuge in Minna, the state capital, confirmed the incident to our correspondent in Minna in a telephone interview.
The police image maker SP Wasiu Abiodun could not be reached for his confirmation of the story.
Also, the state government is yet to issue a statement on the incident at the time of filing this report.