Troops of the 3 Brigade Nigerian Army have killed 19 bandits and recovered motorcycles in a fresh deadly attack in the Shannon local government area of Kano.

The military troops under the Joint Task Force Operation MESA averted the onslaught in a crossfire with the men of the criminal gangs, who were eventually neutralized.

The recent banditry incursion from the neighboring Katsina state had left a bitter taste in the minds of several communities in Shannon, Bagwai, and Tsanyawa local government areas of the state.

The bandits in several incidents have invaded the communities, killing residents and rustling their livestock, while several villagers kidnapped were released after payment of ransom.Confirming the recent attack, spokesperson of 3 Brigade Nigerian Army, Kano, Captain Babatunde Zubairu, said the operation, carried out on Saturday, repelled the bandits in Ungwan Tudun, Ungwan Tsamiya, Goron Dutse axis of Shannon area of Kano.He said the intensive gun battle with the bandits who came in mass with motorcycles left several of them with bullet injuries.

The military spokesperson, however, regretted the killing of two gallant soldiers and one local Vigilante during the gun battle with the bandits.”The operation, which followed an intelligent report, was carried out at about 5:00pm on 1 November 2025, where the troops of 3 Brigade, supported by other security agencies, raided the bandits and pushed them out of Shanono, resulting in a heavy firefight,” Zubairu noted.

“The intervention commenced when gallant troops swiftly responded to reports of bandit movements in the area. Own troops deployed at Tsaure came in contact with the bandits, which led to an exchange of fire where own troops successfully pursued the bandits and recovered several motorcycles and 2 mobile phones from the criminals.

“The military officer disclosed that further operations are ongoing in the general area to protect vulnerable communities that have been prone to cattle rustling from the bandits.The Commander 3 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Ahmed Tukur, assured law-abiding citizens of the Nigerian Army’s commitment to maintaining peace and security in the State, while working together with the sister Services and security agencies.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army says its troops have, in the last 48 hours, crushed several terrorist cells, rescued 17 kidnapped victims, and apprehended 20 suspects through intensified offensive operations across the country.

A credible military source at Army Headquarters confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

The source said the operations were conducted simultaneously across the North-East, North-West, North-Central, and South-South regions.

According to the source, troops of 192 Battalion, supported by the Civilian Joint Task Force, neutralised two terrorists during a fierce encounter with Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters at Hudugum village in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno.