Ten Bandits Killed, 14 Kidnap Victims Rescued As JTF Raid Niger Community

A Joint Security Task Force raid on a Niger State community on Monday yielded positive results as no fewer than ten bandit terrorists got killed in the process.

The state Commissioner for Local Government and Internal Security, Emmanuel Umar, confirmed the development in a statement made available to newsmen late hour of Tuesday, Naija News understands.

According to him, the target of the terrorists was to cause unrest in Uregi village, Rafi Local Government Area of the state on Monday during the Eid-el-Fitr before they met their Waterloo.

Fourteen kidnapped victims were also rescued during the operation while motorcycles and arms were recovered from the bandits.

Giving detailed insight on the operation, the commissioner said: “On 02/05/2022 about 1700 hrs, armed bandits on motorcycles attempted to attack Kawo, Uregi villages in Rafi LGA to disrupt Sallah celebration in the state.

“On receipt of the information, the Joint Security Tactical teams responded swiftly and mobilised to the area where the hoodlums were engaged around Uregi, Kiribo villages and as a result, 10 bandits were neutralised, 14 kidnapped citizens were rescued and seven motorcycles including arms were recovered from them.”

In the same development, some local hunters employed by the Shiroro LGA of the state have been arrested for allegedly stealing cows which were recovered from bandits.

Naija News understands that the hunters were engaged by the council to complement the efforts of the security agents in the area towards waging a total war against Banditry in the area.

A source from the area, however, told Vanguard that some of the cows recovered from the bandits weeks ago were missing from where they were kept.

An investigation carried out revealed that some of the hunters were behind the missing cows and discovered to have been sold but later recovered during an operation in Galape community in Shiroro LGA of the state. The suspects are currently being investigated.