Gunmen suspected to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect have beheaded two farmers in Pandogari community in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
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The latest incident, which occurred this morning (today, Wednesday, September 4) came barely two weeks after the insurgents rounded up and killed 13 farmers at a mining site in Angwar Maigiro in Shiroro Local Government Area of the State.
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According to a reliable source close to the Pandogari community, the gunmen were said to be among those fleeing from the ongoing full scale war against them by over 200 local vigilantes who are currently combing the entire Allawa, Bassa and Kukoki forests for insurgents.
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The fleeing members of Boko Haram were said to have met the farmers in their farms while escaping the onslaught by the local vigilantes who, our correspondent gathered, were mobilized from some neighboring states to come and help flush out the gunmen.
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Before the onslaught by the Vigilantes, the Boko Haram sect had occupied Allawa, Bassa, Kukoki and other neighboring villages after they successfully dislodged the Military from it Camps at Allawa and Bassa, and ordered the people to vacate their homes.
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Those who tried to return to the communities to get some food stuff, especially in Allawa have paid the supreme prize in the last two months with over 40 of the villagers killed so far.
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It was gathered that the two beheaded farmers were in their farms working when the gunmen met them and after killing them, they (gunmen) decided to exchange their head with their body.
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“After beheading them, they exchanged their heads with their bodies and abandoned them. We just buried them today,” our source said.
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He, however, lamented that if a similar onslaught could be launched against the gunmen from Pandogari end, they would not have an escape route, stressing that “they are now running towards Pandogari because the heat is on them from Allawa, Bassa and Kukoki.”
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“We are appealing to the government to mobilize the vigilantes to also launch a similar offensive against them from Pandogari end. They (gunmen) have all fled Allawa as I am talking to you now,” the community source said.
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Meanwhile, a source close to the government told our correspondent that the government decided to engage the service of the local vigilantes since the federal government was foot-dragging in sending troops to the area.
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“The state government needs to act quickly if not the current situation and the activities of these gunmen will send our people away from their farms and their ancestral lands.
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“The government thinks that enough is enough, and has decided to take the fight to these insurgents in their enclaves. We will follow them to wherever they are within our territory. We are going all out against them.
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“I can tell you that this exercise will be a continuous one until the State and the people are free from the menace of these criminal elements. Their motive is criminal and nothing more,” our source disclosed.Â
