Bandits kill Army Captain, Three Others In Ambush

Some Armed bandits on Sunday morning killed four soldiers and injured three others in an ambush in Sarkin Power, Munda Local Government Area of Niger State.

The four soldiers were a Captain, who led the soldiers in the operation, a Staff Sergeant and two Corporals.

Some civilians were also said to have been killed in the attack.

The soldiers were said to have responded to a distress call from Gwar community that armed bandits had invaded the area and were carrying out a raid from house to house, shooting sporadically into air.

The soldiers, on receiving the distress call, quickly mobilised from their base in Zazzaga community and headed to Gwar, accompanied by some armed policemen in their armoured vehicle.

However before their arrival in the community, the bandits were said to have taken to their heals, but the soldiers decided to trail them, unknown to them that the bandits had laid an ambush.

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On sighting the soldiers, the bandits opened fire and killed the Captain on the spot, while the remaining soldiers engaged them in a gun battle, which lasted for almost one hour.

Three other soldiers were killed and their two Hilux bans burnt by the bandits.

The bandits also went away with the soldiers’ Machine Gun riffle.

The soldiers were overpowered by the bandits, who, a source close to the community said, numbered about 30 and invaded the community on about 10 motorcycles.

The Chairman of Munya Local Government, Alhaji Mohammed Garba Dazz, confirmed the incident.

Dazz stated the bandits held the community to hostage for several hours before the soldiers arrived.

He said he personally provided logistics to the soldiers before they left for the operation, adding that both the soldiers and the police were overpowered due to the large number of the bandits.

He said: “One hour after they left for the scene, they came back with bullets holes in their armoured vehicle and the glass shattered.

“As I speak with you now, they have killed four soldiers and three others seriously injured.

“They have also burnt the Hilux van of the soldiers.

“The bodies of the soldiers have been brought to the Sarkin Power Police Station and I am just from there.

“That is all I can tell you for now,” Dazz claimed.