Hunters overwhelm bandits, kill 20

Not less than 20 suspected bandits were killed last Tuesday by local hunters in the Shiroro local Government Area of Niger State. The local hunters also recovered several herds of cattle rustled by the bandits. The incident came on the heels of the restoration of armed security operatives to Bassa, Gurmana and kukoki areas of the local government area. A statement by the Concerned Shiroro Youths made available to THISDAY on Saturday confirmed the incident. The statement signed jointly by Abubakar Yussuf Kokki and Bello Ibrahim Co- Conveners of the Concerned Shiroro Youths said:  “The group commends the uncommon bravery and gallantry exhibited by the combined team of Hunters and local Vigilantes during head-on confrontation with criminals at around Gurmana forest on Tuesday night which resulted in many casualties including death on the part of the criminals. “The bandits had successfully rustled herds of cattle around Gurmana axis of Shiroro local government but luck ran out for them and thereafter, they met their waterloo resulting in scores of criminals being neutralized during the fierce gun battle” The statement further noted: “Luckily, herds of rustled cattle were forcefully confiscated from the deadly monsters”. Kokki and Bello also in the statement said they had received ” with extreme joy the news of deployment of well equipped Joint Security Task Force to insecurity prone areas of the local government area. “With this welcome development, we are enthusiastically confident that our people who are peaceful and law abiding citizens and unfortunately have come under constant and sustained multiple deadly attacks by heartless, venomous, murderous and hydraheaded terrorists will now heave a sigh of relief. “We fervently hope and pray for the sustained operation to be carried out by the Joint Security Task Force stationed in the affected areas,” the duo said in the statement. They prayed that the area will continue to witness “similar unprecedented breakthrough in the fight against terrorism and insurgency.” (Text, excluding headline, courtesy THISDAY)