Armed men believed to be terrorists have reportedly killed a soldier during a gun battle with the suspected terrorists in Allawa area in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger state, while another who sustained bullet injuries is responding to treatment at an undisclosed medical center in Minna.
CAPITAL POST gathered that the soldiers were shot at by terrorists when they made attempts to secure the release of victims recently captured.
The terrorists had invaded Allawa community on Tuesday afternoon to abduct four residents who were returning from their farms.
A resident of Allawa said, “one of the abductees was sent to go into town on Thursday to buy food and fuel for the group with the threat that others would be killed if he does not return.”
It was further learnt that in the process of buying food and fuel for the bandits, the military personnel who were keeping watch over the town picked interest in the volume of food he was
buying and followed him into the forest.
However, before the military personnel got into the forest, they were said to have been sighted by the terrorists who began shooting and there was an exchange of gunfire.
One of the soldiers who got bullet injuries died Friday night while the other officer is responding to treatment in an undisclosed medical center in Minna.
Residents disclosed that the terrorists released the abductees without collecting ransom from them and took to their heels after the exchange of fire with the military personnel.
It was also learned that the Allawa town had been condoned off by the security task force as no one could go in or out as residents said the military personnel were awaiting further directives from the Army Headquarters.
Mr Wasiu Abiodun DSP the police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) Niger State Police Command who neither confirm nor deny the report told CAPITAL POST that the command is yet to get details of the report, “but I will find out from the Shiroro Area Command and get back to you.”
The commissioner for Internal security and home affairs in Niger state, Mr Emmanuel Umar could not be reachED for his comments as several calls TO his cellphone was not responded.
Also efforts made to get a reaction from the Army Public Relation Officer (AMPRO) of the 31 Artillery Brigade in Minna proved abortive, however, a source close to the Brigade who spoke
on condition of anonymity said: “We are expecting the arrival of our men
that went for reinforcement in Allawa.”
