13 Soldiers Killed As Bandits Allegedly Shutdown Airforce Aircraft

Bandits have invaded Chukuba Ward in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State and killed 13 Soldiers, the Tribune reports.

The aircraft crashed enroute Niger State. But a youth leader in the community said the criminals brought down a fighter helicopter and killed the pilot.

The Convener, Shiroro Concerned Youths, Mr Sanni Kokki, disclosed this in a telephone interview with journalists in Abuja on Monday afternoon.

They ambushed and killed 13 soldiers along the Zungeru-Tegina road in Madaka Ward of Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

He said the unfortunate incident happened on Monday morning.

Kokki said, “As we are talking now, the villagers living around the area are all now moving towards Erena.

“This is another problem again because people are being displaced from their traditional homes to unknown destinations. “We are having another humanitarian crisis on our hands with the economic challenges confronting our people.”

When contacted, the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Mohammed Sani Musa, lamented the situation, describing it as highly unfortunate.

He called on the federal government to dispatch all its military and security arsenals to the troubled areas in order to save innocent lives and their property.

Musa said, “This is a very serious situation happening at a time when we are happy that the issue of banditry is subsiding in our various communities in Niger State. “The Federal Government should, as a matter of urgency, deploy all its arsenal in order to curtail further spread. “We have been having a reduction in cases of attacks but now it appears as if there is a serious escalation of the situation

“The most alarming situation now is that the attacks look like a planned work because the bandits are carrying out their operations simultaneously in many parts of Niger State.

“The government should please, as a matter of urgency, take drastic action on it and save the lives and property of our people.”