Joint Security Task Force Neutralises 15 Bandits in Niger

Not less than 15 suspected bandits are believed to have been neutralised in an encounter between the bandits and men of the Joint Security Task Force in Niger state.

The battle was said to have taken place in the early hours of yesterday after the bandits stormed Bassa Community in the Shiroro Local Government area of the state.

Fifteen motorcycles belonging to the bandits and some food items which they (bandits) had earlier looted from a neighbouring community, were said to have been recovered.

It was gathered that some of the bandits escaped into the forests with bullet wounds while a number of sophisticated weapons, mostly AK47 rifles, were reported to have been also recovered from the fleeing bandits.

The bandits, it was gathered, had first invaded Basa community on Wednesday afternoon where they looted shops and houses, and carted away food items but did not kill or kidnap any of the villagers.

However, on receiving the distress call, the Joint Security Task Force, comprising the Police, Civil Defense, and local vigilantes stormed Basa only to be informed that the bandits had escaped to Magami, a neighboring community.

The TaskForce reportedly chased the bandits to Magami where they (bandits) were waiting to cross the river, and engaged them in a gun duel which eyewitnesses said lasted for more than two hours but resulted in heavy losses on the part of the mauraders.

Police Public Relations Officer DSP Wasiu Abiodun did not respond to calls made to his cell phone but an official of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency( NSEMA) who preferred anonymity confirmed the story but said “ Our officer on the ground has not furnished us with the details”

Meanwhile the Police has said it will now rejig it’s operational strategies in the fight against bandity, kidnapping and other criminalities in the country.

Assistant Inspector General of Police in Charge of Zone 7, Alhaji Bala Ciroma who disclosed this in Minna Niger state while addressing officers and men of the Niger state police command on Wednesday said the force will henceforth be more proactive in addition to working closely with the civil society in the gathering of information.

In addition Ciroma said the synergy between all the security agencies will be further strengthened pointing out that “ We can’t be everywhere we must work with the public and other security agencies”

The Police boss said a lot of successes have been recorded in the fight against Banditry and kidnapping in the zone but vowed that “ we will build on these successes to ensure the people sleep with their two eyes closed and transact their businesses without let or hinderance.

“We want members of the public to realise that they are not alone, we are rejigging our strategies to ensure we are more proactive and to engender quality service”.

He disclosed that recruitment into the force will soon commence with a view to solve the problem of manpower shortage facing the organisation adding that the welfare of officers and men will be given top priority in order to improve their dedication to duty and efficiency in the discharge of their duties.

Niger state Police Commissioner Mr. Monday Bala Kuyars, in his address, said crime rate in the state has been very low but the major challenge facing the force is banditry and kidnapping adding that the “ activities of members of the Shiite Muslims are causing serious concern”.

He also said that the command was facing serious shortage of manpower with only 5058 officers and men to man a state population of over 5 million people scattered around the largest land mass in the country.

Kuryas also identified “ inadequate logistic, inadequate arms and ammunitions dilipidated office and house accommodation as other challenges being faced by the command.

Credit: ThisDay