Suspected Lakurawa terrorists have killed two soldiers and a Chinese national in an attack on construction workers in Maiyama Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The attacks occurred on Wednesday and Thursday, as the terrorists, reportedly operating in large numbers and on more than 100 motorcycles, intensified their activities around Maiyama, according to security sources.
Troops of the Nigerian Army subsequently repelled an assault on a Forward Operating Base in Maiyama, recovering weapons, ammunition and 17 motorcycles after the attackers withdrew, military authorities said in a statement from the Theatre Command of Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
The Kebbi State Police Command spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, confirmed the attack on the construction workers, saying the victims were among workers engaged in construction along the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway project in the state.
Usman said the two soldiers were providing security for the Chinese national and other workers when the terrorists launched a surprise attack. “Yes, the attack occurred, but the terrorists are not from Kebbi State. They infiltrated the state through a village bordering Kebbi State,” he said.
“The soldiers killed were guarding the Chinese national and other workers when the terrorists launched a surprise attack, killing two soldiers and one Chinese national and injuring others,” the police spokesperson added.
He said the identities of the deceased soldiers could not be disclosed because they were members of the military and not police personnel. “We cannot give you the names of those killed in the attack because they are not police officers,” he said.
Usman described the attack as “barbaric and unwarranted,” adding that security agencies had launched a manhunt for the attackers. “Joint security agencies are on the trail of the suspected Lakurawa terrorists who attacked and killed two soldiers and one Chinese national,” he said.
The military said the attackers arrived at the base in the early morning of Wednesday, October 7, armed with assorted weapons, including general-purpose machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. Troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force, North West, responded and forced the terrorists to retreat before they could achieve their objective.
The fleeing attackers abandoned weapons, equipment and other supplies as troops pursued them. Items recovered included 17 motorcycles, a PKT machine gun, an AK-47 rifle, assorted ammunition and a communication device believed to have been used during the attack, which the military said could reduce the attackers’ ability to operate in the area.
Troops remained in control of the area after the assault, while patrols, clearance operations and efforts to track the fleeing terrorists continued. Operation FANSAN YAMMA said it would maintain operations aimed at protecting communities and preventing terrorist groups from establishing freedom of movement within its area of responsibility.
Source: Punch and Channels Television. This story was rewritten from their original reports.
Image: Punch
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