TERRORISTS have killed security operatives and abducted four Chinese nationals and an unknown number of workers at a mining site in Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger state.
The Niger State Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs, Emmanuel Umar, confirmed the incident in a statement on Thursday.
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Umar said a distress call was received at around 4:00 pm on Wednesday from the mining site located in Ajata Aboki village via Erena Ward of Shiroro LGA.
“Consequently, the joint security team engaged the terrorists, and there were yet to be determined number of casualties from both sides.
“However, a yet to be ascertained number of workers in the mining site including four Chinese nationals, were reported to have been abducted,” the statement said.
He noted that security operatives were mobilised for reinforcement in an effort to dislodge the remaining terrorists.
Umar added that some of the injured victims, including security personnel that sustained various degrees of injuries, have been taken to a government medical facility in the state for treatment.
The commissioner noted that the governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, has also directed the security agencies to go all out to ensure the safe return of the kidnapped victims and ensure that none of the terrorists escaped.
As at the time of filing this report, spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, has not responded to inquiries by The ICIR concerning the number of casualties in the attack.
Last year, the Shiroro LGA chairman Suleiman Chukuba lamented that more than 500 communities in the area were under constant attack by the insurgents.
Chukuba said at least eight wards, namely Manta, Gurmana, Bassa-Kokki, Allawa, Kurebe, Kushaka, Kwati, Chukuba and Galadima Kogo, have been taken over by bandits.
The ICIR had reported that in the first quarter of 2022 (January – March), Niger State recorded the highest number of deaths from insecurity in Nigeria with 787 deaths in 90 days.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94