Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State

The Niger Government has inaugurated a three-man committee to investigate Thursday’s clash involving the military and five villages in Bosso Local Government Area of the State.

This is contained in a statement issued in Minna on Saturday by Mr Jonathan Vatsa, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Culture.

Vatsa said, “The Niger state government has condemned the unfortunate incident that occurred in the early hours of Thursday.

“The government, after an emergency State Security Council meeting on Friday, directed an extensive investigation into the remote and immediate causes of the incident with the aim of forestalling future occurrence.

“To this end, a three-man committee has been constituted by the Security Council, headed by Alhaji Isa Ladan, Secretary to the State Government, to look into the incident and report back to the government within 24 hours.’’

The commissioner added that the Security Council also urged residents of the affected villages to be calm.

“Community leaders, party chieftains, religious leaders, political office holders and others are to embrace peace and assist the committee with information to enable it discharge its duty”, he said.

He said the council also appealed to the military to ensure strict adherence to rules of engagement and assured it of government’s support to recover all missing arms during the clash.

“The people of the area are, therefore, enjoined to go about their lawful duties as normalcy has returned to the area”, he said.

He also advised the public to avoid acts capable of breaching the peace in the state and report any suspicious person or movement to the nearest security agency.

He said the council had commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives, adding that government would not condone any act of lawlessness under any disguise.

“Government assured every Nigerlites of its commitment and determination to protect and defend their rights, life and property; while it will not shy away from its duties to every constituted state institution’’, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that the incident left three soldiers and seven civilians dead, with six operational vehicles of the army destroyed.

NAN also recalls that the incident involved five villages of Kpaidna, Bambe, Legbe-Dagma, Kopa and Lunku in Bosso Local Government Area of the state. (NAN)