It is no longer the business of ransom for captives as usual as the red-eyed Niger State government has opted to arm its vigilance groups with pump action rifles to take on bandits riding roughshod on the state.
The plan of the government, announced by its chief executive, who has vowed not to pay bandits money for captives, comes as gunmen again abducted at least 25 persons in Wushishi and Rafi Local Government Areas of the State.
According to the residents of the community, the armed men invaded the Kutuku community in Wushshi Local Government Area around 10 am on Monday, Channels Television reports.
They were said to have shot sporadically in the air to scare away residents after which about 20 persons including women and under-aged children were abducted.
Meanwhile, five persons were abducted by the bandits in the Rafi local government area of the state while several other persons were injured at the Panku Gari council area.
An eye witness said the bandits, who were well armed with dangerous weapons, carried out their operation in broad daylight.
Already, Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, announced at Kasuwan Garba in Mariga local government area of the state, when he met members of vigilance groups in the area that he would arm them with automatic pump action guns to enable them take on bandits and smoke them out.
Evidently frustrated that efforts by regular security agents were not matching the activities and firepower of bandits, Sani Bello waved aside the threats to continue their nefarious activities if the government did not disband vigilance groups.
The Governor was in Kasuwan Garba to solidarise with the vigilance group there for the loss of their members to bandits.