Niger State Governor Abubakar Bello: speaks on killing of soldiers, policeman in Niger

By Rita Iliya

Gov. Abubakar Sani-Bello of Niger has condemned the killing of soldiers, policemen and others in fresh bandits attack in Shiroro local government areas of the state.

Bello in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mrs Mary Noel-Berje, in Minna on Friday assured communities of Bassa, Zumba and others in Shiroro and Munya local government areas under siege by bandits that the joint military taskforce bases in the area have not been deserted.

He allayed the fears that the taskforce camps were being deserted and security agents leaving the communities after the recent invasion of military base in Allawa during which six soldiers and a mobile policeman were killed.

Bello regretted the deadly attack and killing of the security agents and urged the communities not to be apprehensive but to remain calm as the security agents have retreated to re-strategise and not left them completely.

“The military have evacuated the corpses of the gallant officers who died in the faceoff with the bandits and have retreated for a while to re-strategize. They have not left or abandoned the communities,” he said.

He said the increasing banditry and kidnapping activities in some parts of the state calls for constant re-strategising, stressing that government and the security agencies have remained steadfast and would ensure that the criminals are eliminated.

The governor commiserated with the military, the Nigeria Police Force and the communities affected by the activities of the bandit over the death of the six security agents and all the people killed in the area so far.

Bandits, numbering about 200 attacked a military base, killed six soldiers and a mobile policeman on March 31 in Shiroro local government area of the state.

The bandits also burnt down the base before moving into the communities where they also killed seven people and abducted several others.