Suspected terrorists have attacked personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) stationed at Wawa area of Borgu Local Government Area, Niger State, the corps has confirmed.
The Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Siyaka-Aniviye, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Minna on Wednesday, saying that no lives were lost during the incident.
According to the commandant, the attackers arrived in large numbers a few minutes after midnight, but were unable to operate freely due to the alertness and swift response of officers on duty.
He explained that NSCDC personnel attempted to repel the attackers, but the operation became difficult because of the numerical strength of the assailants and the darkness in the area.
“The attackers used torchlights to identify approaching persons before opening fire,” Siyaka-Aniviye said. “Our men manoeuvred and took cover, but the attackers fired sporadically because they had several weapons.”
During the encounter, the officers were forced to abandon their operational vehicle while moving to safety.
Believing the personnel were still inside, the attackers reportedly shot repeatedly at the vehicle, damaging it extensively.
“The vehicle was riddled with bullets. The windscreen was shattered and all four tyres were punctured,” the commandant said, adding that the tyres were later replaced and the vehicle driven back to the NSCDC headquarters in Minna.
He further revealed that the attackers looted personal belongings during the attack, including clothes, mobile phones and other gadgets taken from nearby huts.
One rifle was also carted away after its owner dropped it while attempting to take cover.
Despite the intensity of the attack, Siyaka-Aniviye stressed that no officer was killed or seriously injured, though some personnel sustained minor bruises while manoeuvring to safety.
Following the incident, the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Audi, immediately deployed a tactical team to Niger State to comb the area and reinforce security.
“The tactical team is still on the ground covering the entire environment,” the commandant said, noting that preliminary findings suggest the attackers were moving between hideouts.
He added that all personnel involved in the incident had been accounted for and were safe.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
However, Niger State has remained a hotspot for armed violence, with several criminal and terrorist groups some linked to Boko Haram and Al-Qaeda affiliates operating in the region.
The state has witnessed repeated attacks in recent times, including the abduction of more than 300 students and staff from a Catholic school, who were released only last Sunday after spending about a month in captivity.