No fewer than 40 people were reportedly killed by bandits following an attack on a mining site in Ajata-Aboki in Shiroro Local Government of Niger State.

It was gathered that the victims included over 30 soldiers, seven police officers and six civilians, while scores sustained varying degrees of injuries and others kidnapped.

The gunmen, it was further learnt, attacked the community in the early hours of Thursday.

Confirming the attack, the co-convener, Concerned Shiroro Youths, Niger State, Sani Abubakar Yusuf Kokki, disclosed that the bandits also kidnapped some Chinese Nationals and several others.

Kokki said: “A large number of heavily armed and well equipped terrorists with assorted sophisticated and dangerous weapons stormed the village on Wednesday at about 4pm and headed to a mining site owned by expatriates and started unleashing mayhem on unsuspecting victims.

“On getting the wind of the ugly development, the Nigerian Army stationed at a nearby Erena swung into action by engaging them in fire for fire unfortunately and sadly, as of yesterday, about six (6) officers were gunned down while many others have been wounded through multiple gunshots.

“As I am talking to you this morning, the death toll has risen astronomically. Over 30 soldiers have been discovered in the bush and confirmed dead.

“No fewer than seven mobile policemen attached to the mining site and six other civilians were gruesomely killed through the ambush.”

Also speaking on the attack, the Niger State Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs, Emmanuel Umar, said the assailants killed security operatives and kidnapped four Chinese nationals.

Umaru, in a statement issued on Thursday, stated that the attack occurred at about 6.00 pm on Wednesday.

He, however, noted that the number of people killed was yet to be ascertained.

The commissioner added that a joint security team was quickly mobilised to the scene in response to a distress call received by the state government.

Umaru said: “Consequently, the joint security team engaged the terrorists and they were yet to determine the number of casualties from both sides.

“However, a yet to be ascertained number of workers in the mining site including four Chinese nationals were reported to have been abducted.

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“Security forces were reinforced for the manhunt of the remaining terrorists as some of them were neutralised and rescue of the injured victims including security personnel.”

Umaru stated that those injured had been evacuated to government hospitals for treatment.

He added: “While the Niger government commiserates with heads of security agencies in the state and families of the slain personnel, the state government assures that their sacrifices will not go in vain.

“The state government acknowledges all the efforts of the joint security operatives and that of the communities toward taming the spate of insecurity in some parts of the state.

“Security forces mobilised reinforcement for the manhunt of the remaining terrorists as some of them were neutralised and rescue of the injured victims including security personnel that sustained various degrees of injuries have been taken to a government medical facility in the state for treatment.”

Umaru assured that the state government would continue to provide them with the needed support to enable them eradicate banditry in the state, adding that the state governor, Abubakar Bello, has directed security agencies to ensure the safe return of the kidnapped victims.

The Star