Five soldiers, police officer, killed in Zamfara bandit ambush

At least five soldiers and a police officer have been killed in an ambush by bandits in Nigeria’s troubled North-west state of Zamfara.

The Nigerian Army confirmed that the fallen men, serving under the counter-insurgency task force Operation Fansan Yamma (OPFY), were killed on 19 January while responding to a distress call from locals.

The troops were intercepted by the terrorists while en route to protect a community under attack.

The spokesperson for the operation, David Adewusi, a captain, in a statement on Tuesday, said that the incident occurred along the Bingi–Kekun Waje–Gusau Road.

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Mr Adewusi stated that the troops demonstrated “exceptional bravery, professionalism, and resilience,” successfully killed several terrorists and arrested three others during the firefight.

The ambush appears to have been a retaliatory strike, Mr Adewusi said. It followed a series of successful offensive operations conducted between January 17 and 19 against the bandits.

“During that period, troops from Sector 2 OPFY, alongside the Mobile Strike Team and DIA Tactical Support Team, carried out coordinated raids and patrols across the Birnin Magaji and Anka Local Government Areas.”

Mr Adewusi said three high-profile suspects—Isiya Kwakwatawa, Ibrahim Dan Musulu, and Makau Lamba Goma—were taken into custody.

Four terrorists were confirmed killed, while several others fled with gunshot wounds, he added.

He said the troops also recovered 1 PKT machine gun, 5 AK-47 rifles, multiple magazines, 7.62mm special ammunition, Baofeng communication radios, and 3 motorcycles.

“While returning from these operations and responding to a distress call regarding a terrorist reprisal attack, troops of OPFY Combat Team 1 came under heavy fire at Gidan Wagni,” Mr Adewusi explained.

“Regrettably, five soldiers and one police officer paid the supreme sacrifice during the encounter.”

He said reinforcements from the 1 Brigade Quick Reaction Force, based at Forward Operating Bases in Kanoma and Kekun Waje, were swiftly mobilised to the scene.

Led by the Commander of the 1 Brigade, the force launched a robust counter-attack, forcing the terrorists to retreat into the forest.

Mr Adewusi said Intelligence reports later indicated that several notorious bandit kingpins, including Janwuya and Alhaji Bello (the second-in-command to the infamous Kachallah Soja), sustained serious injuries during the battle.

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Zamfara State has long been epicentrenter of “banditry” in Northwest Nigeria—a complex conflict involving cattle rustling, kidnapping for ransom, and mass killings.

The terrorists, also known locally as “bandits,” operate from the vast forests in the state and other neighbouring states like Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states.

While the military often records successes, the “ambush” tactic remains the bandits’ most effective weapon. The rugged terrain and the vastness of the rural roads make security convoys vulnerable to surprise attacks.