21 MILITARY PERSONNEL INCLUDING SENIOR OFFICERS KILLS IN NIGER STATE.
By Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
No fewer than twenty one military personnel Including senior officers were reportedly killed with five other vigilantee members injured by the suspected bandits at Kundu near Zungeru in Wushishi Local Government Council of Niger state.
The troubled area is also said to have been bordering Rafi Local Govrnment Council of the state.
It was gathered that the incident occurred on Sunday when thirteen of them were killed in the encounter with bandits while another eight military were also killed today in an ambush in which a two star captain and a major were allegedly involved.
It was reported that the security operatives were trying to block the criminals route at Kundu who were about crossing with large number of rustled cattle when they were ambushed leading to the casualties in addition to five vigilantes who were injured with bullets.
Accoding to a reliable source, the bandits have rustled large number of animals from several communities and trying to cross over from their normal route Akere to the Northern parts of the country when the incident occured.
An eye witnessed reports that corpses of the twenty one military personnel were deposited at the Zungeru hospital and later taken away by a military helicopter while the injured vigilante members are currently receiving medical treatment.
An injured vigilante member, Sani Adamu had in an interview with Journalists said that they engaged in a face to face gun duel with bandits within less than one hundred meters but they were eventually overpowered because the bandits weapons are more sophisticated than their own.
Chairman of Rafi Local Government Council Alh Usman Katako has visited scene of the incident to provide first aid assistance while all efforts to get the reaction of TRADOC Nigeria Army in Minna has failed.