Bandits have reportedly killed 17 people in an attack on Rimi community in the Duguri district of Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State, while scores are missing.
Over 60 houses were said to have been destroyed while hundreds of people fled their homes to neighbouring states.
The attack was said to have occurred last Friday at about 4pm after Ju’maat prayers. The bandits were said to have escaped before the arrival of security personnel.
Confirming the incident to our correspondent in a phone interview yesterday, the Chairman of the Alkaleri branch of the National Youth Council comrade, Bala Mohammed Duguri said the gunmen raided the community on about many motorcycles.
The Nation gathered that the gunmen took advantage of a large and saturated thick forest of Yankari Game Reserve, close to Rimi, which they are using as a hideout.
He said: “It happened on Friday around 3 O’clock after Ju’maat prayers.
“The gunmen who were on many motorcycles invaded the Rimi community close to Yankari Game Reserve with sophisticated weapons chasing people. It was difficult to run away. Farm produce was destroyed as well. Many were missing as some people tried to run away. We can’t say this is the specific number of those missing because some have escaped to neighbouring states like Gombe, Plateau, and Taraba.”
Contrary to reports that the bandits invaded the newly oil-discovered field community, a lawmaker, Yusuf Muhammad Bako, representing Pali/Alkaleri Constituency who spoke with The Nation, said the attacks only took place in Rimi community which is about 80 kilometers from Barambu where Kolmani oil field is situated.
Bako, a former chairman of Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi state, Alhaji Yusuf Garba, told our correspondent also in a phone interview that no attack of such has been recorded in the oil community adding that the volatile areas where kidnappers operate are Gwana, Rimi, and Mansuru districts.
