- Four Taskforce members missing.
From John Adams, Minna
Just one week after the air component of the operation whirl punch killed over 50 Bandits, including notorious ring leader and kidnap kingpin, the Joint Security Taskforce in Niger state has killed 32 Bandits after it camp was attacked at Mangoro village in Munya local government area of the state by the Bandits.
Several of the gunmen escaped with various degrees of injuries from gunshots after almost five hours of gun battle with Joint Security Taskforce.
About four of them were also arrested.
The latest incident occured on Sunday evening at about 5:00pm when the Bandits said to be numbering well over 100, and in two groups lunched the deadly attack with the intention of dislodging the joint security taskforce from their camp.
Four members of the Joint Security Taskforce are said to be missing after the gun battle.
It could be recalled that Mangoro village had remained a transit route for the Bandits and other insurgents from where they attacked communities around Tshohon Kabula, Zagzaga, pole wire, Beni, Adunu, Ishau and lately Kaffin Koro.
According to a source close to Sarkin pawa, the headquarters of Munya local government, the Bandits were suspected to be those that survived the last week’s airstrike that killed their comrade in crime at river Kusasu.
Our further said that it took a reinforcement of soldiers from Kaduna state, backed by the air component of the operation whirl punch to overpower the Bandits, adding that “the joint taskforce were still combing the bush at Monday morning to apprehend the fleeing Bandits”.
When contacted, the Chairman of Munya local government, Hon. Aminu Najume confirmed the attack but did not give the number of from both sides, stressing that”the joint taskforce recorded huge success and the criminals were successful repelled”
The Chairman who commended the members of the Taskforce for their efforts, pointed out that the aim of the Bandits was to dislodged them (the security people) from the area.
According to him “since the establishment of the camp in the area, they (Bandits) have found it difficult to lunch attacks on Communities in the area and that was why they wanted to dislodged them in other to have free access.
“We thank God that their aim was not achieved. They were over 100 that invaded the camp of the Joint Security Taskforce but I can tell you that they were repelled”, he added.