A joint operation by the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police in Kontagora Local Government area of Niger State have eliminated at least 7 bandits involved in the murder of the Prince of Kontagora, Bashir Namaska.
On Thursday, the criminals invaded the farm of Emir of Kontagora at Masuga village and killed his son Bashir.
He was the Sardauna of Kontagora and had been standing in for his father and the Sarkin Sudan, Alhaji Saidu Namaska, who has been sick for months.
Lt. Colonel T.O. Olukukun, the Commanding Officer of the 311 Artillery Regiment, and Police Commander, Haruna Adamu led their troops from different axis in a coordinated assault.
The troops chased the bandits to a thick forest before they shot and neutralized some of them. A few others escaped with gunshot injuries.
One of the injured captured by operatives later died. He could neither speak Hausa nor English, but Fulfulde, a foreign dialect.
The assailants stormed the Emir’s farm through a large expanse of land belonging to the Nigerian Army. A recent report exposed criminal activities in the area.
A security officer complained that the land, yet to be fully utilised by the military, harbours camps of bandits terrorizing Niger.
The bandits were discovered to have established their camps at Matan Kari, Fagai, Ozowo, Bihima and Kan Libo.
The hideouts are mountainous areas where they first gather abducted persons, before moving them to Kaduna, Zamfara and the other Northern States, via forests.
