From Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The Taraba State Police command has confirmed the killing of over Fifty bandits after a heated gun duel in Bali local government area of the state.
The command’s spokesperson SP Abdullahi Usman who confirmed this in a press release issued in Jalingo on Friday said that the operation was in response to the intelligence that over a hundred suspected bandits have invaded Tonti village and were plotting massive kidnapping.
“Taraba State Police Command received information that some unknown gunmen suspected to be Kidnappers in their Hundreds(100) invaded Tonti village under Maihula District Bali LGA Taraba State. The bandits invaded the village around 5:30hrs during the time that the Muslim faithful were saying their morning prayers, and started shooting sporadically.
“On receipt of information, the Commissioner of Police Taraba State Police Command, CP Joseph Eribo ordered the deployment of a Tactical team from Bali Division to the area in collaboration with the Army, Vigilante, and hunters. On arriving at the village, the bandits engaged the joint team in a gun duel, In the process many of the bandits were subdued and neutralized due to the firing power of the operatives, others escaped with various degrees of injuries as a result of gunshots.
“Investigation revealed that over fifty(50)of the bandits were neutralized. Meanwhile, a manhunt is presently sustained in the area with the view to arrest the fleeing bandits. However, the Police Command CP has deployed a special striking force to the area for robust patrol and to stem the tight in other to avoid the escalation of such attacks by the bandits to another village around the area.
“The Commissioner has assured the citizens of the State of his commitment to ensuring that their lives and property are protected and the peaceful coexistence Taraba State is known for is restored to pave the way for meaningful development” the statement read.