Fausat Bello & Adebayo Fajinmi
Security Operatives comprising the Nigerian Army, the police and members of the Niger State Vigilante Corps on Wednesday evening prevented an attempted attack by bandits in Bangi, the headquarters of Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
This was confirmed by the State’s Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Internal Security, Emmanuel Umar who said over 100 bandits were neutralized while 50 motorcycles were recovered during the operation.
According to residents of the area, “Bandits in their numbers wanted to invade the local government headquarters around 6pm on Wednesday but the situation was saved by the quick intervention of the joint security forces.”
He added that, “The attackers had moved from Nasko where they killed the Divisional Police Officer and other security operatives on Tuesday to launch another attack on Bangi, Mariga Local Government, in the same axis.”
Suspected bandits had on Tuesday killed a divisional police officer in Magama Local Government Area of Niger State during an attack on Nasko village.
Police spokesperson in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, said in a statement that the senior officer, Mohammed Umar, was killed in a gunfight in which two other police officers and four vigilantes lost their lives.
Magama council area is in the part of Niger State being vulnerable to armed bandits’ attacks.
The DPO, Mr Umar, from Kebbi State, was a former ADC to former governor of Kebbi, Usman Dakingari.
