Communities in Shiroro Local Government, Niger State have been levied N7million by bandits operating in the area after accusing the people of inviting the military for operation in the area.

Joint security taskforce recently carried out a major operation in communities in Shiroro LG where unspecified number of bandits were neutralised while majority of them fled to neighbouring communities in Kaduna State.

Communities raided by the joint security taskforce include: Kusasu, Iburo, Chukuba among others, all in Shiroro LG of the state.

However, barely two days after the operation, the bandits returned to the communities in their numbers and accused the people of inviting the security taskforce for the operation and therefore, asked the people to pay N7million for the loses they suffered.

A native of one of the affected communities who spoke to our Correspondent on phone, but did not want his name in print for fear of being attacked, said the bandits, who suffered serious casualties during operation were angry with the people.

Although he said majority of the bandits escaped to the bush during the operation, some were killed and others injured.

“They (bandits) were very angry with the communities because they said we were the ones that invited the military to come and kill them. “They threatened to kill all of us but we begged them that we did not know anything about the military operation.

“They came in about five motorcycles and they were all fully armed with guns and went round the communities before calling us together for the meeting.

“They later told us that we must pay N7million for the loses they suffered, including money for the treatment of those that were injured. They gave just one week for the communities to pay the money.

“They warned us that if the military come back and attack them again, they will kill all of us. They are Fulanis and they are there in the bush within the communities”, he narrated.

He disclosed that unfortunately most of the gunmen terrorising these communities are those Fulanis that were born and grew up within the affected communities and have decided turned against the people.

According to him, about one month ago, the youths in the communities repelled attacks from the gunmen where some of them were killed, and this brought some respites to the communities before the arrival of the joint security taskforce.

He pointed out that until there is a security camp in the area, especially in Chukuba or Kusasu, the activities of the bandits will not stop, stressing that these two communities serve as the entry routes to carry out attacks within the local government and even neighbouring Munya LG in the state.

According to him, “The only solution is to station a military camp either in Kusasu or Chukuba community because that is where they always passed through to carry out attacks on Communities within the axis.

“Until that is done, all the communities within Shiroro local government and parts of Munya LG will not have peace. They have a permanent camp between Gwagwalada in Kaduna State and Kuduru in Niger state”, he added. (Text, excluding headline: The Sun)