By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
Scores have been killed, including soldiers as suspected Boko-Haram, over the weekend, re-grouped and launch attacks on communities in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger state.
The state military joint task force with some local vigilantes had earlier at Alawa and Erena countered incursions by the suspected Boko-Haram in a fierce gun duel at Lolo in Alawa axis leading to casualties from both sides.
Among the casualties on both sides during the encounter with the suspected terrorists at Alawa village were six military personnel who got missing in action including; one Captain, one Major and four others whose ranks could not be ascertained as at the time of this report.
A source from the area told NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER Correspondent on the condition of anonymity that the soldiers who were said to have lost their way and fell into the enemy zone were killed by the suspected Boko-Haram and not armed bandits who were said to be well established in eight local government areas of the state.
The soldiers lost their way during counter attacks in the forest and their corpses later found on Saturday in the bush with bullet wounds on their heads, but without their uniforms.
The source who attributed the killing of the soldiers on less sophisticated weapons compared to that of the Boko-Haram encouraged the government to provide security agencies with modern fighting equipments needed to defeat armed bandits and Boko-Haram across the country.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Homeland Security, Gen. Garba Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd) confirmed the attacks but did not give details of the casualties. NNL.
