Unknown gunmen have laid siege to four communities in Shiroro local government area of Niger State, killing a Pastor and four others in the state.
The communities attacked are Nankuna, Nansa, Eburo and Lagodo in Erena District.
A source told The Nation that the bandits invaded the communities simultaneously in motorcycles.
While the bandits reigned on these communities, locals told the newspaper that an unidentified helicopter was sighted hovering in the sky around the communities until the bandits finished and left.
“We even thought that the helicopter came to attack the bandits for us but it was only just moving round the communities until the bandits finished and left,” the source said.
“They spent over three hours operating here and the helicopter was just flying around,” he added.
At a small settlement in Nansa, the bandits were said to have burnt down the entire farm produce in the storage in anger when they did not meet residents at home.
The villagers had already taken to their heels when they heard about the bandits attacking neighbouring villages but two persons were killed in the village.
One was the blind man and the second was the Pastor, who was shot at a close range, right in front of his church.
“They killed the Pastor in front of the church in the morning before people could start coming to church.
“He was alone when they shot him in the head but the blind man was killed when he was coming out bush,” the source explained.
