17 SOLDIERS KILLED, 10 INJURED IN FIERCE CLASH WITH BANDITS IN NIGER STATE
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
At least 17 Nigerian soldiers have been confirmed dead and 10 others injured following a deadly confrontation with suspected armed bandits in the Bangi community, Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State late Tuesday night.
The Nigerian Army confirmed the casualties in a statement issued by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, describing the encounter as part of a deliberate joint operation with the Nigerian Air Force to repel an attempted incursion into the area.
The firefight, which erupted around 11 p.m. on June 24, followed credible intelligence that over 300 armed terrorists were advancing through Kwanar Dutse Forest, a known criminal corridor linking Niger and Zamfara States. The assailants were reportedly seeking to establish a safe haven or launch coordinated attacks on nearby communities.
According to the army statement, troops engaged the terrorists in a prolonged gun battle lasting more than three hours. Despite successfully disrupting their movement, 17 soldiers were killed in the line of duty, while 10 others sustained injuries and were evacuated for treatment at a military medical facility. The army said all injured personnel are in stable condition.
Confirming the incident earlier, Chairman of Mariga LGA, Abbas Kasuwa Garba, disclosed that the clashes occurred at two different locations, Gulunbi Boka around 5 p.m. and later near Konan Dutse Kaiyan Ghana, close to Bangi. He said the bodies of the fallen soldiers were recovered from the forest and deposited at the Nigerian Army Barracks in Kontagora.
Garba added that several of the bandits were neutralised in the process, though a precise number was not provided. He also praised the swift aerial support deployed by the Nigerian Air Force, which he said was crucial in limiting the scale of the attack.
“We are still conducting search and rescue operations with the help of local vigilance groups and security agents across the area,” he said, urging residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
As of the time of filing this report, no formal statement had been released by the Niger State Government, though security operations in the region have reportedly intensified.
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