Bandit Attack in Zamfara Claims Lives of 12 Soldiers

On Tuesday, a military base in Bindin village, located in the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, was attacked by heavily armed bandits, resulting in the deaths of at least 12 soldiers and five civilians. Mukhtar Bello, a local resident, reported that the attack was a reprisal for the killing of a bandit who had attempted to assault artisanal miners the day before.

The bandit, identified as Gwaska Dankarami, led the attack, which involved a large number of bandits on motorcycles who opened fire on the troops. Despite a fierce gun battle that lasted several hours, the soldiers were overpowered due to the attackers' superior numbers.

In addition to the fatalities, two soldiers were abducted, and the bandits made off with weapons and military equipment. Efforts to obtain a response from the Nigerian Army, specifically Operation Fansan Yamma based in Gusau, were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.