Bandits Invade Niger Community, Kill 12 Special Taskforce Personnel

By Laleye Dipo in Minna

No fewer than 12 members of the Special Taskforce deployed to keep at bay insurgents in Galadima Kogo town in the Shiroro Local Government of Niger State have been killed by bandits that invaded the village last Saturday.

More than a dozen of the Special Taskforce personnel also suffered varying degrees of injuries following the attack.

According to reports from the area, which was confirmed by the Co-Convener of the Concerned Shiroro Youths, Mr. Yussuf Abubakar Kokki, several villagers were either seriously injured or killed by the rampaging bandits, while herds of cattle earlier recovered from rustlers were again rustled by the invaders.

It was gathered that the bandits stormed the community in broad daylight with over 50 of them riding on motorcycles and each carrying AK47 rifles.

After invading the camps of the Special Taskforce, it was learnt that the marauders set several houses and bans on fire before escaping into thin air.

Kokki, who confirmed the incident to THISDAY on Sunday, blamed the ability of the bandits to easily raid the community on the closure of the military camp in the area and the redeployment of the security personnel to Kontagora axis where insurgency has been on the rise in recent time.

“The Concerned Shiroro Youths of Niger State totally and unequivocally frown on and condemn in strongest terms the outright withdrawal of security personnel from Galadima Kogo, Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State and subsequent deployment of same to Kontagora.

“This decision taken by government notwithstanding the accompanying reason (s) is reckless and insensitive in its entirety, especially to the plights of innocent and unarmed law abiding citizens already ravaged by incessant insecurity,” he said.

Kokki lamented what he described as the way government of the day is treating security issues with “crass levity, complete negligence and carelessness and kid gloves” pointing out that: “The end to this monster (insecurity) is still a super story as permanent, lasting and sustainable solution is not yet in sight.”

Neither the police nor the state government responded to this latest incident as at press time.