The police have killed five kidnappers and arrested 11 others in a gun duel in Mashegu local government of Niger state.
The police, according to a statement issued Sunday in Minna by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Abiodun Wasiu, also arrested the traditional ruler of Tungan Iliya, Summaya Bello along with a woman for allegedly harbouring and acting as informants to the bandits.
Wasiu said: “Following intelligence report received on December 25, a team of operatives went on a clearance operation of suspected bandits’ hideouts in Tunga-Iliya forest. The team engaged the suspected bandits in a gun duel and arrested 11 of them while five others were fatally wounded”.
Blueprint learnt that hours before the successful repel of the bandits in the area, the bandits regrouped in Munya local government where they abducted 17 persons, including parents of the local government council chairman.
The attack was said to have occurred Saturday night in Kuchi community of Munya local government of the state during which two nursing mothers and their two-week old babies were also abducted.
A businessman popularly known as Albakala, who had earlier relocated from the community and now resident in Minna, told journalists that four of his family members were kidnapped during the attack.
It was gathered that the council Chairman, Garba Mohammed Daza has relocated with his family to Minna, the state capital for safety.
However, the member representing the constituency in the State House of Assembly, Mr. Andrew Jagaba, confirmed the incident, saying security agents had already been deployed to the area.
Speaking to journalists Sunday, he said: “In fact, the entire community is devastated since yesterday night when the incident happened, the people are now living in fears. But as I speak to you now, security agents have being mobilised to the community and are working on how to rescue the victims because they have not gone far with the people.”
Meanwhile the PPRO said the police had started further investigation into the matter and that the suspects would be charged in court later.
He added that also on December 25, the police received information that gunmen invaded Unguwan Gambo community in Rafi local government area where they kidnapped four persons, saying one of the victims was rescued unhurt while efforts to rescue the others and arrest the hoodlums were in progress.
