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13 persons, Police officer killed by bandits in Niger Communities
Austin Okoro DDM NEWS
Bandits
At least 13 people, including a mobile police officer and three vigilantes, were killed in a brutal attack by armed bandits on Mongoro community in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
The attack occurred on Tuesday around 4 pm, with reports indicating that the bandits arrived on approximately 100-150 motorcycles, heavily armed, and opened fire indiscriminately, leaving dozens injured.
The attack targeted three communities: Kumbashi, Bangi (the administrative headquarters of Mariga LGA), and Mongoro.
13 people were reportedly killed, including one police officer and two or three vigilantes, depending on the source.
Many others sustained various degrees of injuries, and a telecommunications mast was destroyed, disrupting communication in the affected areas.
Sources suggest that the gunmen may have been seeking reprisal for a recent Air Force raid on their hideouts, which resulted in severe casualties in their camp.
This raid was reportedly a response to an earlier ambush that killed 17 Nigerian soldiers in Gulmin Boka, within Mariga LGA, two weeks prior.
Residents of Wamba community in Mariga LGA reported that their community remained under siege by the attackers as of Wednesday evening.
The attack has heightened tension in the area, with residents living in fear of follow-up raids.
The Chairman of Mariga LGA, Abbas Adamu Kasuwan-Garba, confirmed the attack but noted that the number of casualties was yet to be verified .
The local government chairman stated that the full number of casualties was still being verified, and the situation has thrown the entire area into deep unrest.
The attack highlights the ongoing security challenges in Niger State and the need for effective measures to protect communities from bandit, particularly in the face of repeated attacks.
DDM News gathered that the killings took place at Magoro, Kumbashi and Bangi, the headquarters of the local government area.
It was gathered that among those killed on Tuesday night were three members of the Vigilantes and a policeman stationed in various parts of the area.
An eyewitness account revealed that the bandits came into the communities from the direction of the border of the local government area and Zamfara state.
The Niger State command Police Public Relations Officer PPRO SP Wasiu Abiodun could not be reached when the report was filed.
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