200 Gunmen Neutralised as Niger SSG’s Village is Invaded

Laleye Dipo in Minna

No fewer than 200 gunmen have been neutralised across Niger state in the last 72 hours the state government announced in Minna yesterday. This was just as the village of the Secretary to the Government of Niger State Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane was invaded by some gunmen.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Internal Security, Mr. Emmanuel Umar, said not less than 100 motorcycles were recovered from the bandits while a number of rustled cattle were also recovered.

Umar told newsmen that those killed belonged to three notorious groups led by Yellow Janbros, Katchala Aliyu and Bello Tijur that have continued to terrorise parts of the state.

He, however, said that two security agents lost their lives during the battle with the gunmen at different location.

According to him, the success recorded was as a result of “new strategies adopted in the fight against the terrorists.

“The state government is now fully prepared for the terrorists, our new strategies is beginning to yield results, every terrorist will henceforth pay for his action in the state.”

Asked about a video circulating in the state which shows scores of bandits were neutralised in the Niger South senatorial zone last weekend, Umar declined comment but said credit should go to some communities for the success so far recorded in the fight against the gunmen.

“I salute our communities for standing firm to defend their land” and also commend the security agents for their resilience in the fight against the terrorists, even though some of them have paid the supreme sacrifice.”

Meanwhile, Matane village in the Mashegu local government area of the state was raided by the bandits late on Tuesday.

The gunmen in their numbers set houses and vehicles ablaze and disappeared with several household goods and agricultural produce.

It was not known if the property of the SSG or his relations were affected in the raid by the bandits.

The State Commissioner for Local Government and Internal Security Mr. Emmanuel Umar confirmed the incident in a telephone interview saying that” A number of houses, shops and valuables were burnt by the bandits in Matane, Mashegu local government of Niger
State.”

Umar said the number of casualty as a result of the invasion of the community has not been known.

“The bandits have resorted to attacking village to village out of frustration because the only route for them to escape to Zamfara state has been blocked by the troops,” he said.

In a related development not less than 2,000 bandits were reported to have entered Zagzaga in the Munya local government area of the state on Tuesday.

The gunmen, according to some villagers, rode on several motorcycles and divided themselves into groups before raiding the village.

They also set houses and shops on fire after evacuating all the goods in them .

The Chairman of Shiroro Local Government, Mr. Sulaiman Chikuba also confirmed that truckloads of bandits dropped bandits in Damba village, Kurebe District of the local government last Sunday evening sending fears into the villagers.

“Immediately they (bandits )arrived, my people called me to inform me about it. As I speak to you now the entire villages within the area are now almost deserted. The people are beginning to relocate,” he said.

According to Chikuba, villages like Katarma, Rijiya Uku and Laidna have been deserted as the people have left their homes and have all relocated to neighboring villages.

He said the terrorists asked the villagers to vacate their houses for them to enable them settle down.