Swift response by military to distress calls from Minna commendable -Gov Bello

Abiodun OBA

The swift response of the soldiers stationed in Munya and reinforcement team to the distress calls from Minna over terrorists planned attack on communities in Munya local government area of the state on Monday morning has been highly commended.

Niger State governor Abubakar Sani Bello gave the commendation in a statement by his chief press secretary, Mary Berje.

The terrorists suspected to be members of Boko Haram in their numbers around 2:23am on Monday attempted to attack communities and a military base in Sarkin-Pawa, the headquarters of Munya local government area but met their Waterloo following the swift response of soldiers where many of them were killed.

The governor said the planned attack would have been devastating if not for swift response by the gallant soldiers at Sarkin-Pawa and the reinforcement team that responded swiftly to distress calls.

He confirmed that there was no casualty on the side of the military while a number of terrorists were reportedly killed and some of them escaped with bullet wounds.

Bello said, “The swift response by the soldiers stationed in Munya and reinforcement team responded to the distress calls from Minna was commendable as reinforcement team arrived Sarkin Pawa within 30 minutes from Minna”.

He added that “Niger State government acknowledges the effort of military and other security agencies in the fight against insecurity in the state. The Government and the people of Niger State are truly hopeful with the way our security operatives always respond to attacks despite the poor nature of the terrain in which they fight the enemies of the state.”

The governor said the state is in close collaboration with the federal government to ensure that no stone is left unturned to put “an end to these criminals that have held farming communities to ransom, denying them access to their means of livelihood.”

Sani Bello reiterated the state and federal governments’ commitment to end terrorism and banditry in the state and therefore, called for continuous support and prayers from citizens to enable the government and security agencies succeed in the ongoing onslaught against terrorists that have held farming communities to ransom.