Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger has commended the joint security operatives stationed in Kundu village in Rafi Local Government Area of the State for repelling attack by bandits.
Mrs Mary Noel-Berje, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, who disclosed this in a statement, said the attack claimed lives of unspecified number of bandits and two security personnel.
Bello gave the commendation on Sunday when he visited the security camp at Kundu Community to commiserate with the security personnel.
He promised to review the security situation in the area to make it better for the safety of residents and the security agencies.
The Governor, who was impressed with the response by the security agents, pledged to support family members of the slain personnel.
He, however, acknowledged that no society is completely free of security challenges, assuring that his government would continue to do its best to reduce the rate of insecurity.
“No place is 100 per cent safe but we will do whatever it takes to bring back relative peace. We are investing in security equipment and other logistics to help in the fight and to reduce casualty,” he said.
Some of the villagers who gave account of the attack were full of praises to the joint security agents for overwhelming the bandits, adding that the gallantry displayed gave them confidence to remain in the village.
Bandits launched an attack on men of Operation Puff Adder which is a federal government intervention and members of the state security outfit constituted to fight banditry in the area a month ago to fight banditry in the area.
The bandits numbering over 100, were said to have arrived the security camp at about 9am, engaged the joint security agents in gun battle which lasted for about two hours.