Abubakar Bello: Over 100 terrorists invaded Niger community in broad daylight

Abubakar Bello, governor of Niger state, says not less than 100 terrorists invaded Galadima Kogo village on Saturday.

The governor said 11 members of the joint security task force and many residents were killed in the attack.

Mary Noel-Berje, chief press secretary to the governor, made this known in a statement on Monday.

TheCable had on Saturday reported the attack on the village in Shiroro LGA of Niger state.

While condemning the attack, Bello said his government had “run out of patience with the terrorists”.

“Terrorists, numbering over 100 are said to have invaded the community in broad daylight, killing about 11 joint security taskforce members, several villagers and leaving many injured while scores of the gunmen were also said to have been neutralized,” the statement reads.

“The governor condemned the attack on Galadiman Kogo stressing that it would have been unsuccessful if villagers from Galape and Kudodo in Allawa community had alerted the security agencies when they noticed movements of the terrorists towards the town.

“Governor Sani Bello urged villagers in the affected communities to endeavour to provide credible information to the joint security taskforce stationed in the area adding that security agencies can not perform effectively and efficiently without getting appropriate support and intelligence from the people.

“The governor called for calm and urged the fleeing communities in Galadiman Kogo and Kuchi in Shiroro and Munya local government areas to await swift and immediate response from the joint security task force stressing that their earlier withdrawal was tactical to restrategize.

“Governor Sani Bello said the state government has already secured the order and clearance of President Buhari to carry out intensive military operations in Shiroro, Munya and Rafi local governments axis assuring that ground and airstrikes would continue to comb the areas to flush out those miscreants.

“We have really run out of patience with the terrorists and we’ll use every means possible to bring an end to this incessant bloody attacks on innocent people.”

The governor said his administration will “do everything to stop the killings and return normalcy” to the affected communities.