DSS agents engage terrorist in gun battle, arrest wife, recover arms cache
Operatives from the Department of State Service (DSS), Niger State Command, executed a daring operation in the Kulobe community within the Gbeganu area of Minna, Niger State.
Acting on a tip-off from vigilant neighbours, they uncovered a substantial cache of AK-47 rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
The suspected terrorist, alerted to the approaching operatives through his Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) camera, engaged them in a fierce gun battle.
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The incident transpired during the early hours of Tuesday, between 1 am and 3 am.
In a desperate attempt to escape, the suspect even resorted to using a rocket launcher, which partially destroyed his property’s fence. Astonishingly, he managed to vanish into thin air, leaving behind his wife and children, who were apprehended by the security forces.
A security source present during the inventory of seized weapons reported that over 150 AK-47 rifles, explosives, a rocket launcher, an anti-aircraft rifle, and more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition were discovered within the suspect’s residence. These arms and ammunition were subsequently transported to the DSS office.
Terrified community members and neighbours recalled the harrowing exchange of gunfire and the firing of the rocket launcher, an experience that left them deeply shaken.
According to them, the intensity of the battle was such that it resembled an invasion by a large group of bandits, causing damage to property in the vicinity.
Cracked windows, doors, roofing sheets, and walls of houses neighbouring the suspect’s residence bore witness to the violence.
The aftermath of the confrontation was littered with empty bullet casings, and several structures sustained damage due to the ferocity of the exchange.
The identity of the suspected terrorist, hailing from the central region of Kogi State, remained undisclosed.
He had acquired the property two years ago and maintained an isolated existence, avoiding any interactions with his neighbours.
Tragically, due to the indiscriminate firing, a night watchman living next door, Mubarak Abubakar, was struck by a stray bullet and is currently undergoing treatment at the IBB Specialist Hospital in Minna.
The spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, Abiodun Wasiu, promised to investigate the matter and provide updates, but had not responded by the time of this report’s filing.