John Adams, Minna
The police and vigilante groups supported by local hunters on Sunday evening engaged bandits suspected to be members of an Islamic terrorist organization in fierce battle in parts of Niger State particularly in Mashegu and Shiroro local governments of the state.
The bandits, who villagers said are members of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), at the weekend invaded three villages including Gurumana community in Shiroro local government of Niger state, killing three persons.
This, it was gathered, came barely four days after another set of bandits invaded some communities including Saho Rami in Mashegu local government of the state wounding several people were wounded and some kidnapped.
However, it was learnt that a combined team of police and local vigilantes on Sunday afternoon, gave the bandits a hot chase in the Shiroro forest resulting in the rescue of 300 cows with casualties on both sides.
The chairman of Shiroro local government, Mallam Suleiman Chukuba confirmed to newsmen in Minna on Monday that the vigilantes fought a serious battle with the bandits in the forest but could not give casualty figures.
He insisted that only police were in possession of such information since the battle was still on, but regretted that lack of sophisticated weapons by the vigilantes was the only saving grace for the bandits.
It was, however, learnt that seven of the vigilantes engaged in the battle have been rushed to the hospital from the frontlines with one of them having fatal injury.
It was also gathered that the battle with the bandits have been on for the past few days in Mashegu area of the state where many villagers were reportedly abducted last week.
While villagers claimed that the bandits invaded their communities with sophisticated weapons and anti-aircraft guns mounted on hilux vehicles and took away many, the police said many of those abducted had been rescued.
The state Commissioner of Police, Adamu Usman, when contacted said it was too early to speak on the situation of the battle with the bandits but confirmed that the police have chased out the bandits from concerned villages.
Meanwhile the state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, has paid a visit to Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida Specialist Hospital to sympathised with the victims of the attacks in Gurmana and adjoining communities in Shiroro local government.
The governor who was in the hospital on Sunday evening to personally see those receiving medical treatment, prayed for their quick recovery.
He also commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives in the incident.
While interacting with journalists, the governor explained that both state and Federal governments are working around the clock to bring an end to what he described as the “carnage” being perpetrated by the unscrupulous elements.
He also directed the Niger State Emergency Management Agency to provide succour to the affected communities.
The governor then assured that strategic actions were being put in place to deal decisively with the bandits, urging the communities to give full support to the security agencies as well as fish out the bandits’ informants amongst them.
He expressed concern that people were being displaced from their ancestral homes thereby slowing down their struggle for livelihood.