The Nigerian Army has given insight into how 17 soldiers died on Tuesday during gunfire exchange at Kwanan-Dutse in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State. The bandits had attacked the Army base at Kwanan-Dutse, a few kilometers away from Bangi, the headquarters of Mariga LGA.
In a statement on Wednesday, Army Spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, said that the killing of the 17 soldiers and a significant number of bandits in the attack prompted swift military response involving land and air components of the military to rout 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.
According to Colonel Anele: “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.”
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.”
Meanwhile, chairman of Mariga LGA, 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 by Tuesday.
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 FararDoka into the Dusai and Kuimo forests.
Other sources said the bandits also attacked MohoroBoka 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.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Speaker of the Niger House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, 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.