The Chairman of Mariga Local Government Area of Niger Aliyu Bagga Muhamadu and the state police command have confirmed mass abduction of farmers were who were harvesting groundnuts from their farms at Tungan Rimi in Ma’undu-Beri Ward of the council.
Muhamadu said the gunmen who abducted farmers from a nearby farm were demanding ?2 million ransom for each of the abducted victim.
The LG boss claimed that a total of 47 farmers were abducted by the gunmen.
According to him, the gunmen have been in contact with some relatives of their victims to demand ransom payment.
The local government chairman said the farmers were abducted last Saturday afternoon.
Muhamadu said reports also indicated that one of the abducted women had given birth while in captivity.
The LG Chairman also revealed that security operatives and operatives of local vigilantes, had been mobilised to rescue the victims.
Channels Television quoted some unidentified sources as confirming that the gunmen were seen moving into the Bariki Forest, also known as Ma’undu, where the abducted people are suspected to be held.
The Niger State Police Command has also confirmed the incident.
However, the Command said not more than 20 people were abducted at Mukura village in the Kasuwan-Garba District of Mariga Local Government Area in a statement by its spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun.
Abiodun the incident was reported on September 28, adding that the victims were abducted at about 3 p.m. on September 27.
The Niger Police Command spokesperson added that joint security rescue efforts are ongoing to bring the abductees back home.