Security Operatives Neutralise Bandits in Niger Community

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Several  bandits are said to have been neutralised in the Kaffinkoro Local Government Area of Niger State by a combined team of soldiers and local security men.

The gunmen were killed in an encounter with the soldiers who carried out a counter offensive against the marauders.

However, it was gathered that some of the security operatives sustained serious  injuries during the encounter.

According to sources, the gunmen carried out the raid between Friday and Saturday during which they sacked several villages in the local government area and made away with yet unknown number of cattle.

The food barns of the villagers were also sacked leading to the bandits escaping with the items. They also made away with motorcycles and some cash  belonging to the villagers.

A villager who escaped from the assault said many people were injured during the attack on Essan, Koitapi, Wuda, Loitapi among other villages in the area.

The villager said there was exchange of gunfire between the bandits and the soldiers up to 2 am on Saturday but could not confirm the number of casualty.

It was learnt that a herder who just resettled at Farindoki with his cattle lost all his animals to the invaders. The Kaffin Koro area branch of the  Concerned Youth Association Mr.   Maikarfi Sabastine,  confirming the incident appealed to the state government and the security agencies in the state to come to the rescue of the people who have been at the mercy of bandits since the police station in Kaffinkoro town was shut down.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs  Mr. Emmanuel Umar, when contacted, confirmed the story saying a combined team of soldiers carried out a counter offensive against the gunmen.

Umar said some of the bandits were neutralised but did not give exact figure.

He commiserated with the affected villagers before assuring them that government will do everything possible to restore peace in their communities.