Niger attack: Eight more bodies found in bush, says community youth leader

Eight more corpses of security personnel have been reportedly found in a bush following the recent attack on Ajata Aboki village in Shiroro LGA of Niger state.

Sani Kokki, convener of Concerned Shiroro Youths, disclosed this to TheCable via telephone call on Sunday.

TheCable had reported that gunmen invaded a mining site in Shiroro village in Niger, killed security operatives and abducted several workers.

A total of 40 persons were said to have been killed at the time.

However, according to Kokki, the additional corpses discovered have increased the death figure to 48.

“That is the latest update — the number we arrived at after the dead bodies were discovered. The last person that made up the 48th number was discovered yesterday,” he said.

“The breakdown, according to local findings, is that 34 Nigerian soldiers and eight mobile policemen have died.

“We discovered the bodies of the additional eight mobile policemen yesterday evening in a nearby bush. About six civilians have been confirmed dead.

“When the incident happened on Wednesday afternoon, seven mobile policemen that were at the mining site providing security for the workers were instantly killed, including two other civilians.

“When the terrorists were going out of the village, they shot at heights and about four people died. Based on the information we gathered, six soldiers were confirmed dead.

“The next day in the morning, when the soldiers went to conduct search to confirm the number of casualties, about 23 soldiers were discovered dead. So, altogether, they were 34.

“The corpses of the residents that died have been buried by their families.”

On his part, Emmanuel Umar, Niger commissioner for internal security and humanitarian affairs, said the figure will be confirmed on Monday.

“I don’t have that confirmed yet. Normally, what happens is that the community reports and the agencies too will report back,” he told TheCable.

“So, as at Friday when I left office, the head of service visited the scene. By tomorrow, we should be able to get the figure.

“There are people who are still missing in action. There are some that we thought were dead but were later found. Some sustained injuries and passed. I will advise you wait until tomorrow.”