By Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
The Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Samaila Yombe, has explained that the bandits who attacked him disguised as members of the community making it difficult to confront them.
Stonix News had reported on Wednesday that the deputy governor escaped death by the whiskers, but lost about 19 soldiers and police to the bandits.
Narrating his ordeal with newsmen on Wednesday evening, Yombe who is also a retired Colonel in the Army, said he went to Kanya village in Zuru emirate on Tuesday in company of the 223 Battalion commanding officer.
According to him, his mission was to assess the level of assistance given to security agencies in the state by the state government.
He said when his convoy arrived the village, they got security reports that the bandits were already mingled with members of the community.
“When we arrived yesterday (Tuesday) at Kanya, we got reports that the bandits mixed up with the inhabitants of Kanya.
‘So, It was difficult to have fought the bandits in the midst of the people because the collateral damage would have been much.
“Then we adopted a strategy to move out of the town so that they could follow us. In the process because we were both vulnerable, both sides recorded casualties.
Yombe remarked: “I doff my cap for the soldiers at Zuru Battalion who were few compared to the number of the bandits.
“From the gunshots, you will assume they were 200 or 250 bandits. And the soldiers were a unit of about 30 troops, escorting the commanding officer.
“In terms of strength, the soldiers were overwhelmed. It was impossible for the troops to maneuver but they were able to disengage from the bandits to safer ground.”
However, when he was asked to disclose the number of casualties on the side of government, he declined, saying “No, I cannot disclose the number. It is against the ethics of the profession.”
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