John Adams, Minna
After months of onslaught by bandits on Niger communities, heads of various security agencies in Niger State led by the state Commissioner of Police, Adamu Usman, at weekend visited the Sarki Pawa forest in Munya local government where the bandits were said to be using as their hide out to lunch attacks on people in the nearby communities.
The move was,however, a wasteful one at it was discovered that the bandits had no operational camps in the area but in the neighboring Kaduna State forest from where they lunch attacks on Niger communities.
The commissioner of police led other heads of security agents which included the Brigade Commander, 31 Artillery Brigade, Minna, Brigadier General Gideon Ajetonmobi, Commander, Air Force Base Minna , state Director, DSS and the commandant NSCDC in Niger State.
They were in the forest following public out cry that the bandits had operational base in Niger forest so as to enable security agencies map out new strategies to flush them out from the state.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the tour, the commissioner said, “as you are aware, the bandits are operating in this axis and we have come to ensure that we block the routes through which they come into this area. We are mapping out new strategies to smoke and flush out the bandits from the state but we will not disclose these strategies for security reasons”.
The commissioner maintained that, “the bandits do not have operational camps in Niger state; they rush in from Kaduna area forest to attack bonder communities mostly hamlets and settlements in Niger state and run back before our men get them.
“We have discovered that the bandits converge on Gidani village in Kaduna area of the forest located about 30 kilometers away from Niger state from where they launch attacks on these bonder communities”.
He explained that the Niger State security agencies would have stormed the village to smoke out the bandits but for the fact that such action would negate operational rules since Gadani village is in Kaduna and not Niger State, adding that, “however we are in touch with our colleagues in Kaduna State for decisive action”.
However, in a mild drama, at Igu Gari village where bandits recently killed four military personnel in an ambush, the heads of security chiefs were welcomed by a widow, Mrs. Asebe Ayuba mourning the killing of her grandson identified as Solomon and holding the picture of her slain son to her chest while sobbing.
She said Solomon was killed on Thursday in an attack by the bandits when one Fulani man was also killed and 150 cows rustled from the village.
“After the first attack on the village when the military men were killed and two vehicles burnt in January, the bandits had attacked us more than three times again killing more than five people including my grandson who was about to write his WAEC SSCE.
“He told me he wanted to go to university so that he could take care of me but now the bandits have cut short his dreams. I want government to come to our rescue and save us from these bandits. Let the security men come and fight the Boko Haram who are coming to kill us almost every day.”