Gunmen Sack Ibbi Police Station in Niger State

. Kidnap two Policemen, escape with arms

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram elements on Sunday sacked the Ibbi Police Station in Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger state kidnapping   two  Policemen and injuring about  nine  other people.

The bandits also sacked the police armoury in the police station making away with some arms and ammunition.

Eyewitnesses told THISDAY that the gunmen suspected  carried out the raid on the police station 24 hours after an aircraft allegedly carried out a surveillance of the police station and the  town.

According to the eyewitnesses, the gunmen after the invasion of the police station, took the kidnapped policemen into the Ibbi forest reserves.

However, according to the source,  before the gunmen entered the forest they kidnapped not less than 32 victims with  nine of them from Ibbi town, and 15  from Mazakuka town.

It was also learnt that two villagers were killed by the gunmen.

THISDAY learnt that a combined team of local vigilance from New Bussa and Mokwa towns went after the gunmen in the forest during which there was exchange of gunfire for several hours between the two groups.

Some of the bandits were reported to have been killed during the fierce encounter while the Commander of the vigilance  was also killed in the encounter.

The remains of the  Commander of the vigilance  group was  being  taken for burial as at the time of filing this report.

The State Police Public Relations Officer,DSP Wasiu Abiodun did not respond to calls made to his cell phone.

Also the Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs Mr Emmanuel Umar could also not be reached to confirm the story.