Bandits have attacked a mining site in Niger State and reportedly killed security agents, civilians, and kidnapped four Chinese nationals.
The attack was said to have occurred on Wednesday afternoon in Ajata, Aboki in Gurmana ward of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The Co-convener, Concerned Shiroro Youth of Niger State, Sani Kokki, confirmed the incident on Thursday.
He said the bandits attacked the mining site and opened fire on the workers and security operatives.
He also stated that the bandits kidnapped a yet-to-be-identified number of people including three Chinese expatriates who were working on the site.
He said the bandits who numbered over a hundred stormed the site heavily armed with sophisticated weapons shooting sporadically, killing and injuring their victims.
“A large number of hydra-headed, venomous, murderous, and heartless terrorists heavily armed and well equipped with assorted sophisticated and dangerous weapons stormed the Village and headed to a mining site owned by expatriates and started unleashing mayhem on unsuspecting victims.”
Kokki also said that the seven mobile policemen providing security for the site and six civilians were killed during the attack on the site.
“Eleven people including seven Mobile Policemen attached to the mining site providing security cover for the expatriates and six other civilians were gruesomely killed through an ambush while scores of others sustained various degrees of multiple gunshots injuries”.
He added that after the attack, the Nigerian Army camp in a nearby village engaged the bandits in a gun battle on their way back to the forest which led to the death of six of the soldiers with others seriously injured.
“On getting the wind of this ugly development, Nigerian Army stationed at a nearby Erena swung into action by engaging them (bandits) in a fire for fire confrontation but unfortunately and sadly, as at yesterday, six officers were gunned down while many others have been wounded through multiple gunshots,” Kokki said.
While confirming the incident, the Niger State Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs, Emmanuel Umar, said four expatriates were kidnapped but refused to mention the number of casualties and those kidnapped.
“However, a yet-to-be ascertained number of workers in the mining site including four Chinese nationals were reported to have been abducted,” Umar said.
