The Nigerian Army has confirmed that 17 of its soldiers were killed in a fierce gun battle with suspected armed bandits in the Bangi axis of Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State. The clash occurred on Tuesday night and was part of a coordinated military operation to thwart an incursion by heavily armed criminals into the troubled region.
According to the army, the operation was based on credible intelligence indicating that over 300 terrorists were advancing towards Bangi through the Kwanar Dutse forest. The troops engaged the terrorists in a fierce firefight that lasted over three hours, but unfortunately, 17 brave and gallant soldiers paid the supreme price, while 10 others sustained various degrees of injuries.
The injured personnel were evacuated to a military medical facility, where they are receiving treatment and are reported to be in stable condition. Local sources said the military had laid an ambush after receiving intelligence about the bandits’ movements.
The Chairman of Mariga Local Government, Abbas Garba, confirmed the incident and 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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