About 300 fully armed terrorists carried out the Monday attack on the Agata-Aboki mining site in Niger State in which a yet to be confirmed number of soldiers and policemen were killed, it was gathered yesterday.

President Muhammadu Buhari, reacting to the attack yesterday, vowed to smoke out the terrorists “no matter what rock you crawl under, what hole you sink into, what lie you hide behind.”

In Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, seven soldiers on patrol were killed by bandits, according to local authorities.

Sources in Minna, Niger State capital, said the gunmen who invaded the Agata-Aboki mining site signaled their arrival in the area by storming the ever-busy Tegina-Zungeru Road on motorcycles in commando style.

With three men on each motorcycle, they raced up and down the road, scaring and harassing motorists and passengers

It was only after 48 hours after a similar invasion of Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

After acting out their drama on the Tegina-Zungeru Road, the long-haired terrorists made their way to the mining site, shouting “Allahu Akbaar” and shooting into the air to announce their arrival.

As residents scampered into the surrounding bush for their safety, the terrorists were overheard telling the locals to stay calm; that they (locals) were not the targets.

The locals, however, ignored the entreaties and kept running for their lives.

One of the villagers was reportedly killed by the bandits for allegedly not cooperating in showing them the direction to the mining site.

On locating the site, they aimed their guns at the mobile policemen deployed there for security. Seven of the policemen were immediately gunned down.

They then went after the Chinese workers four of whom were abducted, apparently for ransom.

Some of the Nigerian workers were shot dead.

Sources said some of the terrorists wore camouflaged military uniform, some the uniform of mobile policemen while others wore vigilance group members’ outfit.

More shooting soon ensued on their way out of the site after the operation when they came face to face with soldiers who were responding to a distress call from the area.

Locals claimed about 30 soldiers lost their lives in the gun battle. Some of the invaders were also killed.

The Nigerian Army confirmed on Thursday that it lost some soldiers during the raid.

It said “a number of personnel paid the supreme price when troops ran into an ambush in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.”

Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs Commissioner, Emmanuel Umar, said four Chinese nationals were abducted.

He said the number of casualties from the security agencies and the terrorists was yet to be confirmed.

The commissioner said that a joint security team was mobilised to the scene in response to the distress call, adding that reinforcement for the manhunt of the remaining terrorists commenced immediately as some of the terrorists were neutralised.

“There was a rescue of the injured victims including security personnel that sustained various degrees of injuries. They have been taken to a government medical facility in the state for treatment.”

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello ordered a manhunt for the brains behind the attack, while the Senator representing Niger East, Mohammed Sani Musa, expressed sadness over the loss of the lives of security personnel and other locals whose numbers have not been given yet.

He said that the latest incident has further put families and loved ones of our security personnel in trauma and untold hardship which they do not deserve and has depleted the nation’s security personnel has not met the required manpower needed to secure the lives and property of people in the state and the country as a whole.

Suspected bandits kill seven soldiers in Taraba

Seven soldiers on patrol were killed by bandits in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, local authorities said yesterday.

The Executive Chairman Karim Lamido Local Government Council, Markus Hamidu, who confirmed the killing, said the soldiers were killed in a forest around Amdami area in Karim Lamido.

“Seven soldiers were killed by bandits around Amdami area. It is very unfortunate. May God save us,” he said.

Other local sources said the soldiers were on patrol when they were ambushed by the bandits.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Taraba State Command, Usman Abdullahi, was not available for comment as he was said to have travelled to Mecca on hajj.