Two soldiers, 29 armed bandits killed during Zamfara attack

At least 29 armed bandits have been killed within 24 hours after Nigerian troops of Operation HADARI DAJI engaged armed bandits around Moriki-Dole Moriki General area in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara state.

The operation spokesman Ayobami Oni-Orisan in a statement said the troops attacked the known bandits’ camps in the state, “on the expiration of the 24-hour ultimatum given to all bandits’ groups to surrender and embrace peace or face the wrath” of the army.

“The troops, adopting an aggressive posture, overwhelmed the bandits with superior firepower, forcing them to beat a retreat into the surrounding bushes,” Oni-Orisan said.

“Buoyed by the air support provided by the Air Component of OPHD, the gallant troops however pursued the bandits deep into their enclaves, neutralizing 29 of them and inflicting fatal gunshot wounds on several others in the process,” he added.

Oni-Orisan, however, added that two soldiers and one mobile policeman were killed during the encounter.

He said the troops are in pursuit of the fleeing bandits, determined to completely flush them out of Zamfara state.

“The onslaught against bandits’ camps will continue until banditry is completely crushed and rooted out of Zamfara state,” Oni-Orisan said.

The state has over time been plagued by killings, kidnapping and banditry.

Though there are no official numbers of the number of killings but estimations puts it as more than a thousand deaths.

Bandits storm huts at the dead of night to abduct wives and daughters with the hope that they will be exchanged for cash. On other days they embark on a killing spree.