At least five Nigerian soldiers, along with Inspector Aliyu Ibrahim of 1 PMF Kaduna, were killed on Monday in an ambush by terrorists, locally referred to as bandits, in Zamfara State. Several other personnel sustained injuries in the attack.
According to a press statement from 1 PMF Kaduna, attached to Operation Fansan Yamma (OPFYM) in Gusau, the officers were on leave and travelling from Bingi Kwatarkwashi in Kwatarkwashi Local Government Area to Gusau when the ambush occurred. The statement said that upon reaching Gidan Goni Village, the officers were attacked by armed bandits.
The victims and the deceased were rushed to Yeriman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau, where the injured received treatment and the corpses were deposited in the hospital morgue. The squadron confirmed that it was coordinating with the police component of OPFYM Gusau to transfer the bodies to Kaduna for proper burial. Authorities have urged residents to remain calm as further details emerge.
The incident follows a spate of recent attacks in the region. Earlier reports indicated that at least seven people were killed and three others abducted in a bandit raid on Kyara village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The village, near the Niger Republic border, was attacked in the early hours by heavily armed bandits, resulting in the deaths of seven residents, injuries to two others, and the rustling of livestock.
Additionally, a suspected improvised explosive device explosion in Zamfara State last Thursday left five persons seriously injured, highlighting the continued security challenges across the northwest region.
