The Nigerian Army has arrested one of the most notorious bandit leaders terrorising communities in an operation in forests and other hideouts of bandits across three local government areas of Niger State.
The bandit leader, popularly known as Jack Bros Yellow, was allegedly arrested from one of the forests between Shiroro and Rafi local government areas.
According to Daily Post, the military is yet to make public the arrest, but a source close to one of the communities said after his arrest, some other members of the gangs wreaking havoc on the people have gone into hiding.
The source further added, “Jack Bros Yellow is the leader of one of the three groups of bandits that are operating around Shiroro, Rafi and Munya local government areas.
“Jack Bros Yellow is among those who asked some communities to pay N3 million for peace to reign but when the money was paid, the other gang leaders short-changed him and his boys came and kidnapped about nine women from Galape village after Galkogo, Shiroro local government in January this year.”
“He demanded a ransom of N10 million for the release of those women, and they had been in his custody since that January 5th until his arrest last week, but we have yet to see the women.”
Jack Bros Yellow, it was further learnt has a link with some groups of bandits in Zamfara State where he purportedly keeps victims if ransom is not paid on time.
In another development, a housewife (name withheld) was said to have been kidnapped on Thursday and gang raped by a group of armed bandits in Suna village, Shiroro local government area.
The woman was abducted after leaving the Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Zumba in search of some foodstuffs, and raped by five bandits in a nearby bush to a point of death and afterward abandoned her.
She was rescued and presently receiving medical treatment at the Minna General Hospital.