As the activities of the armed bandits continue across communities in Niger state, the state commander of Vigilantes Corp, Mallam Nasir Mohammed Manta ,has disclosed that over 100 of his men have lost their lives to armed bandits across the state in the last one year.

Although most of the vigilantes were killed in ambush, the commander believed that lack of weapons to withstand the superior fire power of the bandits is largely responsible to the high casualties.

Manta stated this in Minna on Saturday when he addressed newsmen on the efforts of his men in the fight against the armed bandits and other insurgence in the state and the challenges facing the group.

Manta also disclosed that his members equally recorded some breakthroughs, killing a number of the bandits, but added that lack of motivation from government and equipment remained their greatest handicap in the war against the bandits.

According to him, a number of arrests were also made and handed over to the police for further action. He maintained that members of vigilante group in the state remained irrevocably committed to the fight against banditry towards sanitising the state, and therefore appealed to the government to give the necessary support and equip them to confront the bandits.(Daily Sun)