Suspected bandits have reportedly burnt down a primary school in Dekara town, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, despite allegedly collecting a levy of N10 million from the communities in the area.

Residents revealed that the attackers burnt down Central Primary School, Dekara, during an attack on the town last on Wednesday uninterrupted throughout their operations in that community among others who had similar incidents of attack recently.

Speaking on condition of anonymity a resident said that the bandits emerged from the Kainji Lake National Park and invaded the community.

According to him, villages and communities in Dekara District recently raised and paid N10 million demanded by the bandits after threatened to attack them if the levy was not paid as a condition.

Our source explained that the payment was made following assurances from the bandits that residents would be free to remain in their communities without further attacks.

“The bandits imposed a N10 million levy on communities in the district. The money was paid because they were threatened of eminent attack  if we refused to comply with the condition”.

However, despite receiving the money, they still attacked the district headquarters and burnt down the primary school leaving the entire town deserted.

It was reliably gathered that several communities within the affected areas are currently deserted as most of the villages have recorded similar attacks unabated however, residents are now in Internal Displaced Persons camps for safety abandoning their legitimate businesses.

Similarly, bandits have reportedly made a fresh attacks on Dnakau, Lanta and Unguwan Kawo communities killed one person and in the process kidnapped one in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger state

The victims were identified person killed was Moses Joseph of Unguwan Kawo, while the abducted simply identified as Emma from Bagna community, who was shot during the attack.

The Niger state police command and the state government are get to issue official statements on the development while efforts to get the response of the command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun was unsuccessful as at the time of filing in this report.