30 Vigilante group members, several armed bandits shot dead in gun duel in Niger communities

About 30 members of a Vigilante group have been feared killed in a fierce gun battle with some gunmen suspected to be armed bandits in Magama Local Government Area of Niger State.

The unfortunate incident was said to have occurred at the weekend in some communities within the local government area when the Vigilante group had allegedly tried to confront the armed men to recover some rustled livestock from the bandits who were said to have forcefully dispossessed the owners of the cattle at a gunpoint in the local government.

A member of the Vigilante group who allegedly missed death by the whiskers and escaped from the scene unhurt by the bandits stated this in an interview with some Journalists, on Monday, in Minna, the state capital.

According to a Vigilante member who escaped unhurt that pleaded anonymity, the Vigilante members died while trying to recover some cattle that were rustled by armed gunmen from some community members of the Magama local government council.

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According to the source who would not want his name in the prints said that some of the armed bandits also suffered casualties during the gun duel with the Vigilante group members.

The Executive Chairman, Mariga Magama Local Government Council, Hon. Safiyanu Ibeto confirmed the incident, adding that up till the time of filing in this report on Monday, that the Council members were yet to ascertain the actual number of Vigilante members that were killed during the gun duel with the bandits.

Meanwhile, attempts to get the reaction of Niger state Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun on the incident was not successful as calls made to his Telephone line couldn’t get across as he was said to have switched off his handset.

However, in a swift reaction, the Secretary to the Niger State Government (SSG)Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane confirmed the incident but he was unable to give details on the numbers of casualties from both sides.

Matane stated further that on the issue of the abductions of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School children and some staff of the school in Tegina, Rafi Local Government Area of the state recently, by gunmen suspected to be armed bandits, that the state government was working round the clock to ensure their release, with the view to reunite the abducted school children with their respective families.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

 

30 Vigilante group members, several armed bandits shot dead in gun duel in Niger communities