- Cart Away Four Chinese Nationals
Some unknown armed men have attacked a mining site in Niger State and reportedly killed security agents, civilians, and kidnapped four Chinese nationals.
It was gathered that the attack occurred on Wednesday afternoon in 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 incident was confirmed by co-convener, Concerned Shiroro Youth of Niger State, Sani Kokki, on Thursday.
During the attack, six soldiers and seven policemen were reportedly killed.
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.
Confirming the attack, Kokki said, “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.
“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.
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.
