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- Bandits also kill a businessman, 2 vigilantes
From John Adams, Minna
The Joint Security Taskforce in Niger state made a major breakthrough in the war against bandits in the state as no fewer than 52 bandits met their waterloo during a gun battle with the Joint Security Taskforce in a village near Pandogari community in Rafi local government of the state.
The latest onslaught against the bandits occurred on Sunday evening when the Task Force mobilized to a forest in the village where the gunmen were said to be hiding after they (Bandits) had earlier raided Padogari Town and its adjourning villages, killing three people, among them were two vigilantes and a businessman.
The bandits, it was gathered had invaded Pandogari Town at about 12 midnight on Saturday in about fifteen motorcycles and had a field day, dispossessing the villagers of their money, food stuff and other valuables, and in the process killed the businessman and two vigilantes who attempted to confront them.
Unspecified number of the villagers were abducted by the gunmen and whisked away to their hideout during the operation which our source said lasted over two hours without challenge.
Although it was gathered that the gunmen had earlier informed the community that they were coming to attack them but no action was taken despite several distress calls put across to the Security Joint Task Force before the eventual attack.
However at about 4pm on Sunday, the Joint Security Task Force mobilized and invaded the forest after receiving an intelligent reports that the Bandits, in their numbers were camping in the bush in a nearby village, about 10 kilometers from Pandogari and engaged them (bandits) in a fierce gun battle.
According to reliable source close to Pandogari, 52 Bandits were neutralized by the Joint Security Taskforce who surrounded the entire forest to prevent them from escaping.
Among the bandits killed were six informants suspected to be Fulani Herdsmen who have been living with the people in Pandogari for the past ten years after they (informants) relocated from the bush and settled in the community, claiming to be running from bandit attacks.
“Among the bodies recovered from the bush were six Fulani men who been members of this community. They have been living with us after relocating from the bush to community about ten years now, claiming that they were being chased by bandits unknown to us that they are members of the bandits.
“They have being acting as informants to these Bandits, giving them information about the movement of security agents in the community and those to kidnap unknown to us. That is why there have been consistent attacks on the community. We did not know that there were enemies within.
“Since on Sunday when these people were killed by the Joint Taskforce, the entire community has been jubilating, everybody in the community is happy with this development because we have suffered in the hands of these criminals for long,” he added.
He said this is one of the most successful operation carried out by the Joint Taskforce in the area in recent time, pointing out that “these Bandits have wreck havoc in this community and adjourning villages. People have been killed, women raped, properties destroyed and people abducted with ransom worth millions paid.
“This success recorded by the security agents is a great relief for the entire community. At least people can go about with their farm business for now, and we are therefore appealing to the government to increase security in the community because they can decide to come for reprisal attack.”
