Niger State confirms terrorists kill 11 security officers, attack communities
By Bala Dongha, Minna
Heavily armed terrorists numbering about 100 have attacked communities in Niger State, Nigeria,’s biggest state in land mass.
At least 11 members of the Security Task force were killed.
The Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello confirmed the attacks in a statement made available to Irohinoodua.
The statement was signed by the Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel-Berje.
The Governor described as unfortunate and regrettable the attack by gunmen on Galadiman Kogo and other villages in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.
He said terrorists, numbering over 100 invaded the community in broad daylight, killing about 11 Joint Security Taskforce members, several villagers and leaving many injured while scores of the gunmen were also said to have been neutralized.
The Governor condemned the attack on Galadiman Kogo stressing that it would have been unsuccessful if villagers from Galape and Kudodo in Allawa community had alerted the security agencies when they noticed movements of the terrorists towards the town.
Governor Sani Bello urged villagers in the affected communities to endeavor to provide credible information to the Joint Security Taskforce stationed in the area adding that security agencies can not perform effectively and efficiently without getting appropriate support and intelligence from the people.
The Governor called for calm and urged the fleeing communities in Galadiman Kogo and Kuchi in Shiroro and Munya Local Government Areas to await swift and immediate response from the Joint Security Taskforce stressing that their earlier withdrawal was tactical in order to restrategize.
Governor Sani Bello said the state government has already secured the order and clearance of President Buhari to carry out intensive military operations in Shiroro, Munya and Rafi Local Governments axis assuring that ground and airstrikes would continue to comb the areas so as to flush out those miscreants.
“We have really ran out of patience with the terrorists and we’ll use every means possible to bring an end to this incessant bloody attacks on innocent people. We’ll do everything to stop the killings and return normalcy to the affected communities”, he said.
The Governor prayed for the reposed souls of the Joint Security Taskforce members and villagers who lost their lives during the attack on Galadiman Kogo and directed the State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) to urgently provide succour to the injured and displaced.