From John Adams, Minna
The Niger state Police Command recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against armed bandits in the state, on Saturday, with the killing of six bandits during a gun battle in Garkogo, Shiroro local government area of the state.
A number of the bandits were said to have also escaped with serious bullet wounds, leaving behind their motorcycles.
The bandits were said to have defied the Ramadan fast to launch an attack on some villages around Garkogo, but met their Waterloo in the hands of the mobile policemen who had laid ambush for them on receiving information about their operation.
The mobile policemen were stationed at Garkogo town after ceaseless attacks on the people by the bandits in recent time.
The bandits were said to have shot and killed a villager before the policemen engaged them in a fierce gun battle at about 3:30 in the morning, on Saturday.
Although the police was yet to issue any statement on the latest development as at the time of filing this report, a source close to Garkogo community told Daily Sun that four of the bandits were killed on the spot, while bodies of two others were recovered from a farm in the afternoon, having died from bullet wounds.