Many bandits and soldiers are feared dead in a gunfire exchange that happened on Tuesday at Kwanan-Dutse in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
The bandits were said to have attacked the military base at Kwanan-Dutse, a few kilometers away from Bangi, the headquarters of Mariga LGA.
The army yesterday confirmed 17 soldiers dead and many others injured in the incident, though locals said the figure could be higher.
Sources also said “a significant number of the bandits were killed.
The chairman of the local government, Abbas Adamu Kasuwan-Garba, said the attack had heightened the fear in the farming communities in the area.
“In the early hours on Tuesday, we woke up to an attack by bandits. The bandits moved into Niger State from Zamfara State through Mariga LGA through Dogon-Dawa. Unfortunately, our soldiers at Kwanan-Dutse were attacked but the soldiers responded fiercely.
“The people of Mariga LGA are currently in a terrible situation because we lost some of our soldiers and that has created fear among our people.
“It would interest you to know that the bandits passed the night between Monday and Tuesday somewhere near the military base, but unknown to us. So, they launched the attack around 11am on Tuesday”, he said.
He said the immediate reinforcement from Kontagora military barrack forced the bandits to retreat.
“After that battle with soldiers, we thought they had left the Mariga LGA until they were seen again at Gulbin-Boka and they engaged the soldiers stationed at Gulbin-Boka. The soldiers at Gulbin-Boka also engaged them fiercely, but they succeeded in setting one of the vehicles belonging to the military ablaze,” he said.
He also said that the bandits rustled cows, burgled shops and carted away food items and valuables belonging to locals.
Kasuwan-Garba said some of the people displaced by the attack started retuning home yesterday.
Speaking to our correspondent, a source said: “The fierce battle took place between soldiers and bandits in the Kwanan Dutse forest around 9am. The bandits had laid an ambush for the soldiers.
“The confrontation lasted a long time, with intense fighting between both sides. Despite the soldiers’ gallant efforts, which led to the killing of a significant number of the bandits, some soldiers lost their lives in the clash. As of now, the exact number of casualties among the soldiers is yet to be determined”.
He said after the clash at Kwanan-Dutse, the bandits “crossed the road” at Farar-Doka into the Dusai and Kuimo forests.
Other sources said the bandits also attacked Mohoro-Boka village, some meters away from Dusai, kidnapped many farmers and rustled cattle on Wednesday.
Other communities attacked within the local government area were; Kwanan Dutse, Kakihum, Chika Rumbu and Gulbin Boko.
Residents were said to have fled to Kontagora, Rijau, Ibeto and Bangi towns.
In a statement, the army spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Appolonia Anele, confirmed the killings of 17 soldiers and a significant number of bandits in the attack.
She said the attack prompted a swift military response on Tuesday, utilizing land and air components to eliminate the bandits.
She said the operation against the bandits was based on credible intelligence, which led to troops engaging about 300 armed bandits in Kwanan Dutse Forest.
“The criminals had attempted a night-time transit towards Kwatankoro Forest, where they were reportedly planning coordinated attacks on surrounding communities or looking for a safe haven to evade the pressure from our operations in Zamfara State.
“However, their movement and actions were effectively disrupted by troops who engaged them in a fierce firefight that lasted over three hours.
“Sequel to the ground engagement by the Nigerian Army troops, the Nigerian Air Force conducted precision airstrikes on the terrorists’ withdrawal routes, delivering accurate heavy bombardments on identified terrorists’ locations.
“Although the exact number of casualties could not be ascertained, multiple blood trails along their escape routes presumably indicate significant enemy losses.
“Regrettably, seventeen brave and gallant soldiers paid the supreme price during the encounter, while ten others sustained varying degrees of injury.
“The wounded personnel have been evacuated to a military medical facility, where they are receiving treatment and are in stable condition”, she said.
The army spokesperson said operation was ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the damage inflicted on the terrorists.
She urged the public to continue to support the ongoing counter-terrorism efforts by providing timely information to security agencies “by any means possible.”
The speaker of the Niger House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), described the soldiers’ killings as barbaric, wicked and inhumane.
He said: “I received the news of the killing of these promising young officers with a heavy heart, who have kept my constituency safe for a long time now.
“This singular attack is a significant setback for the farming communities in Mariga Local Government Area. My entire constituency is under siege.”
He said the attacks on the two military camps in the area had created a substantial challenge to the security situation in his constituency and the state at large.
“The unfortunate reality is that these wicked and heartless elements come from neighboring states to carry out their attacks on communities within our state,” Sarkindaji said.
He asked the military to ensure that the perpetrators of such heinous acts were tracked down and brought to justice, saying “they must not escape accountability for their nefarious actions.
On Tuesday, vigilantes engaged bandits at Dogon Fadama forest in Kontagora LGA of Niger State.
Residents said the vigilantes, after receiving intelligence, mobilised and entered the forest.
Zaraki Adamu Kontagora, a resident, told Daily Trust that the vigilantes killed some bandits and rescued captives.
He said one of the vigilantes was also gunned down and another one injured.
He said: “The soldiers at Kwanan-Dutse, were a strong shield for our region. They were stationed at a critical point, the main entry route through which terrorists could infiltrate local government areas such as Mariga, Kontagora, Mashegu, Magama and parts of Rijau if they move from Zamfara State.
“These soldiers had engaged in battles with the bandits several times, repelling them and disrupting their plans to invade our towns.
“Their stay at Kwanan-Dutse posed a serious threat to the terrorists’ movement. And angered by this resistance, the terrorists plotted a major assault on the base, mobilizing a heavily armed force far stronger than what the soldiers could typically handle. Despite this, the soldiers stood their ground and fought back bravely in a prolonged gun battle.
“Undoubtedly, these soldiers, under the leadership of the current commander of the Kontagora barracks, gave their best. It was reported that during the battle, the commander himself led a special unit to reinforce the troops stationed at Gulbin Boka, reducing the potential casualties. We commend their sacrifice in the pursuit of peace and security in our country.”
Kontagora, however, blamed the state government for alleged lack of prompt response to security reports from the communities.
The state’s Commissioner for Homeland Security, Brigadier-General Bello Abdullahi Mohammed and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Bologi Ibrahim, did not respond to calls and messages by our correspondent, seeking their reactions to the allegation by Kontagora.
According to data gathered and analysed by Daily Trust, many troops have been killed in attacks by terrorists and bandits across the country between January and May, this year.
On January 4, 2025, an unspecified number of soldiers died in Damboa, Borno State, when the terrorists attacked Forward Operating Base in Sabo Gari.
On January 9, six soldiers stationed at the Gajiram Divisional Police Station in Borno State were killed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.
On January 25, the terrorists reportedly killed 22 soldiers within Borno and Yobe states in an ambush at Mai-Saleh Area.
At Wajirko and Wulgo military bases in Borno State, an unspecified number of troops were killed on March 24 and 25 respectively.
