Bandits Have Formed Alliance With Boko Haram, ISWAP – Niger Governor Reveals

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has revealed that bandit terrorists have now formed alliance with Boko Haram and ISWAP to carry out attacks on communities in the state.

The governor who just came back from an official trip to Turkey stated this in Minna, the stage capita, after visiting injured soldiers at the IBB Specialist hospital.

According to the governor, bandits had killed two soldiers and injured 12 others in an attack on Kagara town, headquarters of the Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

“The bandits have an alliance with terrorists considering their increasing number and the way they plan and carry out their attacks,” Bello said.

The governor stated that the terrorists also suffered significant losses during the operation, he however did not say how many of them were killed or injured.

“We have lost quite a number of them (security operatives) since the operation started and we don’t intend to lose more. What we are calling for is a safe environment and for everyone to support the ongoing operation by the security agents,” he said.

Bello warned communities harbouring bandits because of fear that they could be attacked.

“Very soon we will tag those communities as same elements as bandits. If you are harbouring any bandits and you know, you are one even if you don’t carry a gun because you are risking the lives of our security agents,” he said.