Niger Vows to Nab Killers of 27 Police, Military Officers

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has vowed that the state government will fish out the killers of police and military officers in Galadimakogo village in the Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.

Not less than 27 policemen and military personnel posted to the area to protect the villagers against bandit attacks were slain in yet-to-be-known circumstances last Sunday.

Bello said though “the reports about the unfortunate attack have been unclear, the suspects who master-minded the heinous crime would not go unpunished, as the government would do everything lawfully possible to bring the bandits to justice and prevent against future occurrence.”

The governor made the vow when he received in audience security chiefs led by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), AbdulMajid Ali, and Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone 7, Hosea Karma, at the Government House in Minna, according to a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel Berje.

The statement noted that Bello, who is now in self-isolation having been in contact with some of his colleagues during their series of meetings in Abuja last week, also described the killing of the security operatives “as most embarrassing,” pointing out that “the loss of the gallant officers to the bandits is painful.

“We are working together with governors of the North-west states, and security agencies are making progress in tracking and identifying the locations of the criminals, and very soon, such locations will be verified and attacked.”

Bello commiserated with the army, police and families of the gallant officers over the unfortunate incident, and prayed God to grant the souls of the deceased eternal rest.

He said with the latest development, government will no longer dialogue with the bandits, adding that “it is time to take the fight to them (bandits).”

Leader of the team, DIG Ali expressed shock at the incident, saying they were in the state to have first-hand information on the attack carried out on their officers which led to such a colossal loss.

Until the governor’s remarks, neither the police nor the army confirmed the sad incident.

However some concerned Shiroro youths led by Ibrahim Bello blew off the lid when they claimed at a news conference in Minna last Monday that they have documentary evidence about the huge loss.