Armed bandits suffer defeat in Niger, Kebbi

By Correspondent in Minna

The fight against armed bandits registered success on Thursday as the combine troops, Yansakai vigilante and with the support of retired military personnel raided bandits’ enclaves and villages in Niger and the neighbouring Kebbi states, butchered and injured many of the bandits while other criminals fled.

The retired military officers, PRNigetia gathered, were said to have offered their expertise and assistance in their respective localities to boost the victory of the combined forces in the encounter code named’, “Brutal operation.”

Sources also told correspondent of PRNigetia that some leaders of bandits were arrested in their enclaves at Uddu, Rijau, Sabon Gari Ushe and Warari communities.

The raid is coming after armed bandits abducted teachers and students at Federal Government College (FGC), Yauri in Kebbi State.

The reinforcement officers and men of the Nigerian Army, Police Force, with the supports of the local vigilantes in the pursuit of abductors led to the elimination of many bandits and their rustled cows at different routes.

The news medium also gathered that the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) which detected the bandits’ enclaves, facilitated the smooth coordination of the troops’ operations.

“It was after the ISR mission that the combined troops stormed the forests with support of large numbers of local vigilantes, known as Yansakai.

The bandits failed in their attempt to ward off the troop’s attack. Many of them were butchered, while many of others fled with serious injuries and wounds,” a military source said.

According to the source, it was the efforts of some retired military officers, who supplied discreet intelligence to the joint troops, that led to the neutralization of many of the fleeing bandits, mostly in Yauri and Zuru axis of Kebbi State.

He said: “For a while now, the ex-military officers have been providing information to various security agencies on bandits’ movements and activities in Yauri and Zuru towns.

“This has fostered inter-agency cooperation and aided the planning of operations against bandits as most of ‘Yankasai’ volunteers are retired soldiers and security personnel.

“The generals’ efforts have disorganized the bandits and their evil missions, hence,they may now find it difficult to be moving in a battalion to attack communities.”

On the fate of the kidnapped teachers and students of Yauri College, the source said he was not authorised to divulge the information on that for a strategic reason.

Source: PRNigetia.