Police Refutes Reports, Say 13 Not 37 Lives Lost In Niger Attack

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The Niger State Police Command has refuted claims by some news outlets that 37 people were killed in Nakundna and Wurukuchi communities in Shiroro Local Government Area.

However, the Command admitted that 13 people lost their lives when suspected bandits/terrorists attacked some villagers who were harvesting crops in their farms.

According to a statement by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Niger Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun; “The Command wishes to state that, on January 10, at about 10 in the morning, suspected bandits/terrorists stormed Nakundna Village near Kaure in Shiroro Local Government Area, and unfortunately, 13 people, who were harvesting in their farms, lost their lives as a result of the attack.”

Abiodun, who is a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said; “However, the Police Command swiftly deployed tactical teams to the scene led by Area Commander for Shiroro as details of the incident were not immediately available due to the rough terrain and lack of communication network in the area.”

The statement further stated that the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, CP Monday Bala Kuryas has condoled with the families of the victims and reassured Nigerians that the Police and other security agencies will not relent in the ongoing onslaught against banditry and other forms of criminalities in the state.

But CP Kuryas has a word of caution for the media, urging practitioners to shun the lure of rushing to publish stories without proper verification in order to avoid causing panic and outrage among members of the public.