Idowu Isamotu, Muideen Olaniyi (Abuja) & Abubakar Akote (Minna)
The Nigerian Army said it had begun a manhunt against the terrorists who killed some of its personnel, police officers and civilians at a mining site in Niger State on Wednesday.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Faruk Yahaya, disclosed this in Abuja yesterday when he spoke at the Mogadishu Cantonment mosque shortly after a special Juma’at service prayer scheduled to mark 159th anniversary of the armed forces.
Daily Trust had reported that at least 22 soldiers and seven police operatives were among the many people reportedly killed during the attacks by terrorists in both Niger and Taraba states.
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No fewer than 15 soldiers were killed in Niger and seven in Taraba in the ambush, while property worth millions of naira was also destroyed.
Speaking after the prayer, General Yahaya maintained that troops of the Nigerian Army would not be deterred by the activities of the criminal elements, saying those involved in the dastardly acts would be brought to book by every means.
The army chief, who called on Nigerians to always appreciate the troops for keeping Nigeria united at all times, also enjoined the general public to ensure that they pray for those who paid the supreme price during the process.
However, people around Shiroro area were the terrorists killed the security operatives and civilians said they were yet to see any special movement by Nigerian troops.
“We have not seen any aggressive manhunt by ground soldiers or through air strike. It is something we want to see but for now, nothing of such is happening since the attack was launched on Wednesday. We just pray federal government comes to our rescue soon,” one of the locals said.
Another one said the locations of the terrorists were known. “I don’t even know what kind of manhunt they are talking about…The terrorists have infested most of our communities and are moving freely, giving directives to the people. If the federal government wants to end this insecurity it should confront them. It is wrong to always be reactionary instead of being proactive,” he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday described the attack in Shiroro as a direct assault on Nigeria.
The president, in a statement issued yesterday by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the attackers would not be allowed to go unpunished.
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