1 Policeman, 7 Civilians killed by bandits in Niger State

Eight people including a policeman were killed by bandits in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.

The slain policeman was a constable whose name was not revealed.

The bandits had rustled some cattles and were already on their way with the cattles when the incident happened.

“The policeman and local vigilante raced after the bandits in order to rescue the animals from them,” a source said.

However, another group of the bandits ambushed the policeman and the local security men and killed them.

“One or two of the bandits were injured but the others after the battle returned to take the injured into their enclave.

“We traced the blood of the injured bandits to a spot but we had to retreat for fear of another possible ambush,” the source said.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Muhammed Abubakar confirmed the incident and said that the remains of the slain policeman and local security men had been deposited at the Kagara General Hospital mortuary.

“We have mobilised more men to the area to secure the lives and property of the people,” he added.

The recent incident may have signalled the collapse of the peace initiatives between the state government, security operatives on the one hand and the bandits on the other.

The government had negotiated a peace deal with the bandits in the area, leading to about 23 of them promising to toe the line of peace by stopping attacks on innocent members of the public.