Gunmen kill three and set houses on fire in Niger State

The Niger State Police has confirmed that suspected gunmen killed three people in Pissa village, Borgu Local Government Area.

SP Wasiu Abiodun, the police spokesperson, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday that the gunmen attacked the village around 9:00 am.

He mentioned that during the attack, some houses were burned. He added that the military responded, but details about the clash are not clear.

"The report received indicated that suspected gunmen invaded Pissa village in Borgu LGA.

"Three persons were reportedly killed during the attack, and some houses were set ablaze.

"However, the military responded and engaged the terrorists, but further details are still sketchy," he said.

PUNCH Online reports that this attack happened after the state government and police denied earlier claims of an invasion that caused panic among schoolchildren in Minna, the capital of Niger State.

The PUNCH gathered that students did not wait for the end of school hours before running home out of fear that gunmen might attack their schools.

Parents also heard about a possible invasion in Minna. They called school principals to check if the rumors were true and whether classes had been canceled for the day.

However, Abiodun assured parents at the time that the police were working hard to handle the situation.

He said police officers visited all the schools mentioned and confirmed that no attack happened in any school across the state.