Joint security team neutralises over 100 bandits in Niger

The Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the vigilante corps, has reportedly neutralized over 100 gunmen suspected to be armed bandits around Kundu village, near Zungeru in the Rafi local government area of Niger State.

It was gathered that the criminals were crossing the road along the Tegina-Zungeru road on Wednesday morning, following their usual route towards the Akare axis of Kundu in Rafi and Mashegu local government areas of the state, where they carry out their nefarious activities of kidnapping and cattle rustling.

It was further revealed that the military, based on credible intelligence, was monitoring the movements of the criminals through the discovered route and ambushed them, leading to many casualties among the bandits. However, the actual number was yet to be ascertained at the time of filing this report.

Eyewitnesses from the Kundu community told this reporter that they became aware of the bandits’ approach with their operational motorcycles. Based on the information the bandits likely received from informants, they abandoned their motorcycles some kilometers away from the main road, where the soldiers had laid an ambush. The witnesses added that the bandits attempted to eavesdrop to catch the soldiers unaware.

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The eyewitness, who requested anonymity, added in a brief telephone interview with our reporter that it was a bad day for the bandits as they faced superior firepower from the joint operation of the army and vigilante corps. The bandits retreated and took to their heels, but the joint security forces pursued and successfully neutralized many of them.

In a telephone interview, the Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Gen. Abdullahi Bello Mohammed, confirmed the incident on Friday in Minna. He declared, “It was a sad day for the bandits and a happy one for our joint security forces because they triumphed over the hoodlums by neutralizing an unspecified number of bandits.”

“You know that these people don’t leave their dead or seriously injured behind; they carry them along at whatever cost, so you can’t ascertain the number of casualties on their end.

“We thank God that there were no casualties recorded among the soldiers,” said Gen. Abdullahi Bello Mohammed.