By JOHN ADAMS, Minna

Worried by the rising insecurity in the state, Niger State Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has convened an expanded security meeting at the Government House, in Minna, with all the heads of security in state in attendance.

The meeting which began about 11:00 a.m., on Monday, also had in attendance traditional rulers led by the state chairman, Council of Traditional Rulers, Estu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, all the chairmen of local governments under siege of bandits, State Executive Council members from the affected LGAs and other stakeholders.

Although there were no details from the meeting as it was still ongoing as at the time of filing this report (4:30 pm), it is coming barely 24 hours after an Inspector of Police, Ibrahim Mitra, and an unnamed member of the vigilante were killed in an encounter with bandits in Bangi town headquarters of Mariga local government of Niger State.

The police inspector was said to have fought and killed at least six of the bandits before he fell to the firepower of the hoodlums said to be over 60 in number.

A reliable source closed to the community told our correspondent that the incident reportedly occurred on Sunday afternoon at about 2:00 pm.

The source said the bandits had earlier on Saturday raided the community and rustled about 300 heads of cattle but the police led by Inspector Mitra repelled the attack.

It was gathered that bandits went for reinforced on Sunday and launched an all-out attack on the community where the police inspector was gun down after engaging them in a fierce gun battle.

“They were up to 60 bandits riding on motorcycles carrying sophisticated rifles. They shot sporadically and in the process the inspector and the vigilante were killed.

“The police, however, were able to kill six of the bandits,” the source said.

It was gathered that the slain policeman was only recently transferred from Tudun Wada division in the state capital, Minna to Bangi after some of his colleagues reportedly complained that he had “stayed too long in the division.”

Meanwhile, the Niger State police command in a statement in Minna by the police public relations officer, DSP Muhammad Abubakar, confirmed the attack, saying the police inspector was killed when the Joint Police/Military team in Bangi went to respond to a distress call that some armed bandits suspected to be cattle rustlers had stormed Muchiya Kaji village to rustle cattle.

“The team responded quickly and engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle, and wounded three of the armed bandits forcing other bandits to abandon the cattle and flee into the bush.

“One AK-47 rifle and one Bajaj motorcycle were recovered as exhibits but unfortunately one police inspector, Ibrahim Mitra Chibok, attached to Niger State police command died during the encounter,” adding that two officers however, sustained gun wounds and are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Minna.

The deceased inspector was among the same team that engaged the armed bandits and cattle rustlers on 14th February 2020, when they invaded Dankolo village in the same Mariga LGA, recovered 13 cattle, fatally wounded three armed bandits and their bodies were deposited at General Hospital, Bangi where they were confirmed dead. (The Nation)

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