Bandits have killed twenty local security personnel known as vigilantes in Kotonkoro village of Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
A reliable source close to the community also said the bandits had attacked a military base on Wednesday, killed one soldier and injured another.
This attack comes barely three weeks after Governor Abubakar Bello visited the vigilante group and assured that government would equip them with high caliber weapons to enable them take the fight to the bandits.
Commandant of the vigilantes in the local government, Abu Hashimu, confirmed the killings, to TVC news.
Mr Hashimu said the slain vigilantes were returning from search operation when they were ambushed, noting that Sixteen of them were killed on the spot while the bandits pursued four others who tried to escape and gun them down.
