- 32 killed, several injured
From John Adams, Minna
No fewer than 32 bandits were killed on Monday evening in Kuchi community in Munya local government area of Niger State in what the villagers said was the biggest success recorded by the joint security taskforce in the ongoing war against bandits in the state.
The bandits who invaded the community at about 4;15pm on Monday in about 40 motorcycles were ambushed in a nearby bush about five kilometers to Kuchi town by the joint security taskforce code named “special hunters’ that are providing security within Munya and parts of shiroro local government areas of the state.
According to reliable source close to the community, after about three hours of gun battle which lasted till 7;45pm, only ten out of the 40 motorcycles were able to escape and with bullets injuries.
It was gathered that three members of the security taskforce however lost their lives and their bodies have been deposited at a government facilities in Minna, the state capital.
Our source stated further that the bodies of the bandits were left in the bush, even as he disclosed that motorcycles and undisclosed number of weapons used by the bandits were recovered from the battle ground.
It was further gathered that the joint security taskforce over powered the bandits due to the reinforcement from its camp in Galkogo midway into the battle which described as “real war”.
“The special hunters put up a brilliant fight against the bandits unlike last week when they (members of the taskforce) abandoned its camp due to the large of bandits that invaded them. Their effort is highly commendable.
“Although they lost three of their members due to excessive bleeding from gunshot injuries, I can tell you that the battle was a huge success. They took the fight to the bandits unlike before when the bandits will just invade them unaware”, our said.
It could be recalled that the bandits on Wednesday last week raided three communities in the same Munya local government area and unleashed terror on the people, dispossessed them of their valuables including cash worth over N20 million.
Shops were looted across the three communities of Zagzaga, Chibani and Kuchi and about 250 cattle were stolen by the gunmen who operated freely without any resistance. One person was killed and three young boys were abducted to help them escort the stolen cows.
Two of the boys were said to have later escaped when the bandits had stopped midway into the journey to share the stolen cows among themselves. He has since reunited with his family in Zagzaga community.
Meanwhile in another development, the communities that were raided by bandits last week have debunked claims by the military that scores of bandits were neutralized during the attack, saying that no single bullet was fired at the bandits whom they said had a field day.
Some of the villagers who narrated how the bandits operated on Wednesday last week, acknowledged that the military actually past through Sarkin pawa reroute from the Kaduna state with about 16 Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) on that Wednesday, they never engaged the bandits.
“They (Army) came through Mangoro village from Kaduna state on the day with about 16 vehicles and they even stopped at Mangoro and called the head of the special hunters, popularly referred to as Pastor and interacted with him in their camp at Mangoro before proceeding to Sarkin pawa and they didn’t even stop at Sarkin pawa.
“They continue their journey towards Minna, in fact on their way, the learnt that the bandits were in Chibani town and they stopped and started blowing siren and later they proceeded. Even the bandits were in the bush in Chibani when the Army passed through the town and the villagers saw them (bandits) but were afraid to raised alarm.
“It was from Chibani that they (bandits) proceeded to Kuchi community where they burnt down the camp of the special hunters on that Wednesday. They (special hunters) even abandoned their camp that day because the bandits were many in numbers”, our source added.
The communities said it was surprising to hear that scores of the bandits were neutralized when the Army and the DSS engaged the bandits in a gun battle, adding that “honestly the communities were not aware of any battle between the Army and the bandits on the Wednesday.
“But yesterday we all saw how the special hunters battled the bandits to a standstill. We saw their efforts and it is highly commendable, the reinforcement from Galkogo really helps them against the bandits”, our source added.
It could be recalled that the Army in statement in Abuja said that a joint operation by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the military in Niger State resulted in the dislodgment of scores of heavily armed bandits believed to be loyal to terrorist kingpins, Dogo Gide and Leyi.
The statement claimed that the operation began on Tuesday when the terrorists stormed Chibani village, Munya Local Government area of the state, and that the bandits reportedly killed one Ayuba Isah and left two other persons, a policeman and one Alhaji Shuaibu, with gunshot wounds.
According to the Army, on Wednesday, bandits said to be numbering over 200, brandishing sophisticated weapons, stormed a security base in Kuchi, a town in Munya local government area, and that the fierce battle that ensued let to the neutralizing of scores of the bandits, with many others fleeing with various degree of injuries.
According to the Army, the fierce gun battle that ensued led to the neutralising of scores of the bandits, with many others fleeing with various degree of injuries.
The statement further added that re-enforcement from Galadima Kogo to Kuchi as a major factor that helped weaken the bandits.