Six Bandits Killed, Others Injured in Clash with Niger Police

Laleye Dipo

In a major assault on bandits terrorising some parts of Niger State for some time now, the police in the state at the weekend neutralised six of the bandits and injured many others.

The police operation against the criminals took place at Garkogo in the Shiroro Local Government Area of the state at the weekend.

In the battle, which eyewitnesses said lasted for several hours, the injured bandits reportedly fled into the bush leaving behind their operational motorcycles.

The bandits were said to have shot and killed a villager before the policemen engaged them in the fierce gun battle at about 3:30 am last Saturday.

According to eyewitnesses, the bandits had also stormed Kuchi town in the Munya LGA during which they set many houses ablaze and burnt some religious places of worship, including the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church in the town.

It was learnt that the invaders, on arriving in Kuchi town, shot sporadically into the air to scare the villagers and some church members who were cleaning the churches ahead of the Sunday service.

It was further gathered that they assembled all the church property, including chairs, musical instruments generating sets in the middle of the building, and set them on fire.

The bandits were said to have waited to ensure everything in the church was burnt before proceeding to carryout similar act in other parts of the town.

The Senior District Secretary of the church, Special Apostle Isa Kwachie, confirmed the story to THISDAY on phone, adding that the case was also reported at the Divisional Police Station in the town.

The police could not be reached to confirm the story as the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Wasiu Abiodun, could not be reached on his mobile phone.