By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

Details have emerged on how Niger State joint security taskforce neutralized over 200 bandits last Wednesday as government was soliciting information on bandits with gunshot wounds.

The killing of the over 200 bandits have gladdened the hearts of citizens and residents of the state who have praised the government forces for their gallantry, saying that it was an indication that the government have started taking drastic action against the bandits.

The Joint Security Taskforce had engaged bandits, between last Sunday and Wednesday, who came to attack Mariga and Rafi Local Government Areas and other parts of the state and killed over 200 over of the outlaws.

Niger State Government has revealed it has killed over 200 armed bandits in a gun battle that ensued between members of the Joint Security Taskforce and the outlaws in Rafi and Mariga Local Government Areas.

The bandits were eliminated during a gun duel between them and Government’s Joint Security taskforce in the Kundu axis of Rafi and Babanlaba side of Mariga local governments and other parts of the state between Sunday and Wednesday.

A member of the Joint task force who gave an insight into the Rafi/Mariga “battle” revealed that the joint task force had ambushed the bandits.

Sani Bala, a vigilante member of the joint security task force, said: “We first ambushed few of the bandits who came on four motorcycles on surveillance of the area they planned to attack.

“Few moments later, over 200 motorcycles gathered in the same spot, each carrying two bandits.

“The bandits, despite the fact that they outnumbered us (the joint task force), we were still able to neutralize over 200 and rounded up some of them who attempted to flee.”

Mariga, Mashegu, Wushishi and Lagun are areas where bandits have killed several villagers, burnt shops, markets, houses and farmlands and abducted many during their attacks.

Following the vanquishing of the bandits in Rafi and Pariga, the state government has called on the people of the state to volunteer information on persons with gunshot wounds.

Meanwhile Emmanuel Umar, Commissioner in charge of Internal Security, said: “The joint security task force was also able to rescue many kidnapped victims during the operations.

“We had to take measures to change our strategy on how to tackle these bandits.

“Some of the bandits fled with gunshot wounds. There will be a handsome reward to citizens who come forward with information that will lead to the rounding up of the fleeing bandits and capture of their weapons.”

Commissioner in charge of Internal Security, Emmanuel Umar, who made the appeal, said many of the bandits escaped with gunshot wounds.

“Some of the bandits fled with gunshot wounds. There will be a handsome reward to citizens who come forward with information that will lead to the rounding up of the fleeing bandits and capture of their weapons,” Umar said.

He explained that the trouncing of the bandits was achieved because government changed its strategy.

“We had to take measures to change our strategy on how to tackle these bandits,” he said.

Apart from neutralizing the bandits, Umar disclosed that “the joint security task force was also able to rescue many kidnapped victims during the operations.”

Meanwhile, a villager from Kampanin Bobi, Mariga Local Government, Abubakar Agaji, noted that the victory of the joint security taskforce over the bandits was an indication that government has started taking drastic action against the bandits.

Agaji said that the bandits, had, on a daily basis, attacked many of their neighbouring villages, adding: “We pray that the onslaught will be sustained.”

“Government is beginning to listen to our complaints. There are displaced persons from Kampanin Bobo and several other villages in many IDP camps in Niger state due to these incessant attacks by the bandits,” he said.

According to Agaji, some of the IDPs in Kampanin Bobi and other villagers have started returning home due to the recent success recorded by the Niger state security operatives.

“We are also calling on government to increase the number of troops in this operation and in areas mostly affected by these attacks,” he appealed.

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