Armed assailants stormed the palace of the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Farouk Bahago, on Tuesday evening, shooting two security men.
Eyewitnesses said some gunmen who drove in a private car trailed a staff of the palace who was returning from a bank with cash.
The Emir was in the palace when the gunmen shot sporadically to scare people away before they carted away an undisclosed amount of cash belonging to the Minna Emirate.
The injured palace guards were reportedly taken to Minna General Hospital for medical attention.
Investigation showed that the miscreants overpowered the palace guards after a gun duel.
Ahead of the El-al-Kabir this year, the Emir suspended the Sallah durbar in his emirate to sympathise with the victims of terror and banditry in the emirate, especially those who are still in the captivity of bandits.
The Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun is yet to respond to inquiries or address the press at the time of filing this report.
Niger state in Nigeria’s North Central region has had disturbing incidents of robbery, and banditry. Communities like Paikoro, Munya and Shiroro LGAs of Niger State that form part of Minna Emirate have witnessed heightened spate of attacks by bandits where dozens of traders, farmers held since March this year are still being held captive.
