Seventeen soldiers have been confirmed dead following a long gun battle with suspected armed bandits in the Bangi axis of Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
The clash, which occurred late Tuesday night, was part of a coordinated military operation to thwart an incursion by heavily armed criminals into the troubled region.
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The Nigerian Army, in a statement signed by its Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Appolonia Anele, described the confrontation as a “deliberate joint operation” involving ground troops and aerial support from the Nigerian Air Force.
According to the army, the operation was based on credible intelligence indicating that no fewer than 300 terrorists were advancing towards Bangi through the Kwanar Dutse forest.
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The criminals were reportedly in transit toward the Kwatankoro forest, likely seeking to regroup or stage attacks on nearby communities amid sustained military pressure in Zamfara State.
“Troops engaged the terrorists in a fierce firefight that lasted over three hours,” the statement said. “Regrettably, 17 brave and gallant soldiers paid the supreme price, while 10 others sustained various degrees of injuries,” Mrs Anele, a lieutenant colonel, said.
She said the injured personnel were evacuated to a military medical facility, where they are receiving treatment and are reported to be in stable condition.
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Local sources said the military had laid an ambush after receiving intelligence about the bandits’ movements.
Residents reported hearing sustained gunfire through the night as troops battled the attackers in Konan Dutse Kaiyan Ghana near Bangi, and earlier in the evening around Gulunbi Boka, another hotspot.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Mariga Local Government, Abbas Garba, said 17 corpses of soldiers were recovered and taken to the Nigerian Army Barracks in Kontagora.
He added that search-and-rescue operations were still ongoing in the forests, involving local vigilante groups and security forces.
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“Several of the bandits were neutralised, but our major concern remains the safety of our people,” Mr Garba said.
He also acknowledged the aerial intervention of the Nigerian Air Force, which he said played a critical role in disrupting the bandits’ advance.
The council chairman urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious activity, noting that efforts to stabilise the area are being intensified.
As of the time of filing this report, the Niger State Government was yet to issue an official statement on the development.
However, the scale of the attack and the military casualties underscore the continued security challenges in Nigeria’s North-central region, where armed groups remain active despite repeated military offensives.
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