Gunmen have attacked and killed nine members of a Bauchi local vigilance group, popularly known as “Yan Ba Beli”.
It was learnt that the attack happened in Gamji village while the vigilantes were hunting bandits who had been terrorising communities in the Ningi Loval Government Area of the state.
The gunmen were said to have laid an ambush for the vigilantes, killed nine of them while some others sustained injuries.
A member of the group, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the incident happened late Sunday evening when members of Yan Ba Beli were climbing the rocks around Gamji village in search of the bandits.
He said, “As soon we entered into the ambush, the bandits opened fire with superior weapons and overpowered the Yan Ba Beli killing nine of us instantly and injuring others.”
The Caretaker Chairman of Ningi LGA, Ibrahim Mato, who confirmed the incident, condemned it assuring that the government would continue to do everything possible to protect citizens’ lives and property in the area.
Meanwhile, our correspondent learnt that the bodies of the nine corpses were recovered on Monday and buried the same day at the scene of the incident according to Islamic rites.
The spokesman for the Bauchi State Police Command, Ahmed Wakil, did not respond to a text message and WhatsApp messages sent to his mobile line for comment.
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