In what seems a major victory against banditry in Niger State, joint security operatives currently fighting bandits along Kundu, Rafi and Mashegu areas have reportedly neutralised over 100 bandits in an early morning ambush yesterday.
LEADERSHIP Friday gathered that the bandits were killed around Kundu in the Wushishi local government area of Niger State while trying to go through their usual route from Rafi local government hinterland to Mashegu local government area.
Security sources said that the operatives got a hint of their movements across Kontagora Road through Akere, and they were immediately mobilised and ambushed the criminals.
It was learnt that this particular group of bandits specialised in cattle rustling and abduction of villagers for ransom and were those who usually have their camps in the adjoining Allawa forest linking Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State.
A villager who prefers anonymity said the number of casualties on the part of the bandits was the highest ever recorded in recent times in the area and lauded the efforts of the vigilantes and the military.
“Some of the bandits were on motorcycles while some were trekking, but the security operatives got early information and attacked them with severity”, Ishaku Musa, another resident, said.
He said they heard gunshots persistently in the morning, even inside the rain for hours, saying, “We gathered it was a gun duel between the military and the bandits who were over one hundred, and they were killed. We commended the military and vigilantes for successfully countering them this time.”
Responding to the development Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, General Abdullahi Bello Mohammed (rtd), confirmed the incident while lauding especially the military and vigilantes for the feat.
He stated that the bandits usually evacuate their injured members and the corpses, making it difficult to ascertain the actual number who were killed.
He urged the security to be on alert and mount surveillance because the bandits hardly accept defeat; hence, the operatives must be prepared for reprisal attacks.
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