30th June, 2022
Six soldiers and seven policemen have reportedly been killed in a gun-battle with terrorists at a mining site at Ajata-Aboki in Gurmana Ward of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
Over 100 bandits were said to have stormed the mining site and immediately opened fire on people on site, while they reportedly abducted four Chinese expatriates on site.
The terrorists were said to be heavily armed stormed the mining site around 4.oopm on Wednesday and shot dead seven mobile policemen providing security for the mining site and six civilians.
The bandits were said to have been confronted by military men while on their way out of the area into the forest.
The ensuing gun-battle reportedly led to the killing of six soldiers. PM NEWS could not officially confirmed the exact number of soldiers killed, but sources put it at six.
He lamented that “Kidnap for ransom has become common phenomenon in our localities. It is quite unfortunate that we have been forced to coexist with this sad reality. We are being killed, maimed, raped among other inhuman subjugations by marauding terrorists.”
He also told The Punch that six soldiers were killed along with seven policemen and six civilians.
But the Niger State Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs, Emmanuel Umar, in a statement on Thursday said the government was yet to ascertain the number of casualties.
He said the the attack took place at about 4.00pm on Wednesday and that based on a distress call received that bandits/terrorists invaded a mining site located at Ajata Aboki village via Erena Ward of Shiroro LGA, a joint security team were mobilized to the scene in response to the distress call.