Many Feared Killed As Troops Repel Attack On Niger Community

A source at the community said about 100 heavily armed men, three each on motorcycles, attempted to storm the town to kill and rustle cattle when they met stiff resistance from the soldiers and members of the local vigilantes.

The gunmen suspected to be fleeing Zamfara and Katsina states because of ongoing military operations in the areas, invaded the town at about 6:00 pm on Friday.

According to sources, the soldiers engaged the gunmen for several hours and later called for reinforcement.

The source further disclosed that a reinforcement of over 20 trucks from Kagara loaded with armed soldiers and another 10 trucks from Birnin Gwari arrived at Pandogari, and overwhelmed the gunmen who quickly retreated to the Allawa forest.

It was learnt that the gunmen suffered heavy casualties as there were bloodstains and some of their belongings seen everywhere in the bush on Saturday morning. They, however, managed to evacuate the dead and the injured ones.

A top local vigilante official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the battle as "very intense and serious."

He praised the gallantry displayed by the soldiers, and equally commended the military authority for the quick response to the troops. He said that despite the reinforcement, the soldiers later resulted in the use of rocket-propelled grenades and other sophisticated weapons due to a large number of gunmen. The strategy devastated the gunmen and made them retreat into the forest.

He further hinted that the gunmen might likely come back to engage the soldiers because the presence of the military and the local vigilantes had blocked all their routes and were finding it difficult to operate in the area.

"The bandits were equally looking for a base in the state because of the military operations in Zamfara and Katsina states. They have been dislodged there so they are desperately looking for a base in Niger state", he added.

The Secretary to the State Government Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, who confirmed the report, said "what the security men did was to repel the attack."