The Police in Niger State, on Monday, confirmed the repel of attack by bandits on Malfa village in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.

The Niger State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Adamu Usman, confirmed the development in Minna.

Usman explained that the police engaged the bandits in a gun battle, forcing them to move towards Lukube, en route Dogon Gona Forest owing to the police superior power and manoeuvres.

According to him, the bandits regrouped and launched a counter-attack on the villagers, stressing that one Abdullahi Masaki had a gunshot on his leg.

He said the victim had been taken to Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Hospital, Minna, where he received medical attention.

Usman said the armed bandits numbering about 100 attempted to invade Malfa from Dogon Gona Forest, adding that they were resisted by personnel of “Operation Puff Adder” policing the area.

“Personnel of `Operation Puff Adder’ were strategically stationed in the area to prevent the influx of bandits from neighbouring states,” he said.

The commissioner said there had been massive reinforcement of other security agencies in the area.

He said the Kaduna State Police Command had been alerted about the movement of the bandits towards the state in order to ward them off.

No casualty was recorded on the part of police during the attack.

(NAN)