45 terrorists gunned down as DSS, military comb border towns in Niger

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and their counterparts from the Nigerian Army have neutralised at least 45 terrorists wreaking havoc in some border communities in Niger State. The terrorists were specifically killed at Iburu village located in the Shiroro Local Government Area of State last Friday when an intelligence by the DSS […]

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and their counterparts from the Nigerian Army have neutralised at least 45 terrorists wreaking havoc in some border communities in Niger State.

The terrorists were specifically killed at Iburu village located in the Shiroro Local Government Area of State last Friday when an intelligence by the DSS revealed activities of the criminals in the area.

Daily Trust reports that security forces’ onslaught against terrorists in the border came on the heels of an alarm raised by the Nigerian Customs Services that its personnel were under constant terrorists’ attacks in the town.

Recall that the Comptroller-General of the Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, had in April raised the alarm over terrorist activities around the Babanna border in Niger State – the community sharing border with Benin Republic.

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Adeniyi had said his men were lucky to have survived an ambush by the  terrorists who were angered by the seizure by the Customs officers of 500 jerrycans of petrol smugglers were delivering to them.

On Monday, security sources disclosed that the DSS, on getting an intelligence that the terrorists riding several motorcycles were advancing to attack Iburu and neighbouring villages, quickly alerted soldiers on standby.

One of the sources explained that there was gunfire between the troops and terrorists, and at least 45 terrorists were gunned down during the encounter.

He added that two operatives also paid supreme price while four others were injured.

“The villagers confirmed that they counted at least 40 dead bodies believed to be those of the bandits. They also counted dozens of the bandits’ motorcycles destroyed during the gunfight.

“Two members of the hybrid forces fighting alongside soldiers lost their lives, while four others were receiving treatment for serious gunshot injuries at a public hospital in the state capital,” the security source confided in Daily Trust.

Both the authorities of the Nigerian Army and the DSS are yet to speak officially on the operation as at when filing this report.