April 17, (THEWILL) – At least two persons including a Police officer, have been reported killed after armed bandits on Saturday evening, attacked communities in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The incident, THEWILL gathered, occurred in the area about 20km away from Minna, the State capital.
The communities attacked are Chiri, Kwakwa, Jewi and Kadna, all of which are located some kilometres from Gwada and the local government headquarters.
The attackers also looted a business centre and carted away many phones.
A statement issued by the spokesperson of the Coalition of Shiroro Associations (COSA), Salis Sabo, noted that one policeman and a civilian in Tapila, were killed during the attack.
Sabo said two persons were kidnapped including the son of a staff member of the North-South Power of Shiroro Dam and one other girl.
However, a source in Gwada said, dozens of villagers were kidnapped and an unconfirmed number of cattle rustled by the gunmen who invaded the communities in their hundreds.
The source said, a police officer and four other persons, including two women and two children who are members of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp, taking refuge at the Gwada IDPs camp displaced from Zumba area of the Council, were killed.
However, the source said the policeman died during a gun fire exchange between the Joint Security Taskforce and the bandits.
According to the source, “during the fierce battle by the two sides, one police personnel was killed, as well as one of the gunmen. Many of the bandits ran away with bullet wounds and six motorcycles belonging to the gunmen have been recovered.”
Efforts to get confirmation of the State Commissioner for Local Government and Internal Security, Emmanuel Bagna Umar, failed as he could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.
However, Spokesperson of the State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident.
According to Abiodun, “the police tactical team and other security agencies, with vigilantes, were mobilised to the area and the hoodlums were repelled.”
However, he explained that details of the incident are still sketchy, while reinforcement has been dispatched to the affected communities.
Also, a senior official of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, who would not want his name mentioned, confirmed the attack.
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