At least 20 Nigerian soldiers were reportedly killed early Tuesday in a brutal ambush by heavily armed bandits who attacked a military base in Bangi, a community in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
According to multiple sources within the security forces, the bandits stormed the camp around dawn, taking soldiers by surprise and engaging them in a fierce gunfight before overrunning the base. “Today, about 20 soldiers were killed by armed bandits near Bangi, Mariga LGA of Niger State in an early morning attack on their camp,” a military source confirmed.
Though official details remain scarce, preliminary accounts suggest several soldiers also sustained injuries during the confrontation. Graphic images of the slain personnel have been circulating, further deepening national anxiety over the worsening state of insecurity in the country.
Residents in surrounding communities are said to be fleeing in large numbers, fearing a follow-up raid as bandit groups grow bolder and deadlier. The Nigerian Army has not yet released a formal statement on the attack, fuelling outrage and confusion over the scale of the losses.
This is not an isolated incident. Earlier on Tuesday, armed fighters ambushed a separate unit of troops along a highway in Zamfara State. Reports say an unconfirmed number of soldiers were killed in that assault, including a senior officer, Lieutenant Isma’il Yahya.
In a parallel tragedy, over 15 civilians were reportedly massacred in Tofa village, Magami district, Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara. The community, already crippled by extortion levies from bandits, has now been virtually emptied as terrified residents flee to safety. “The bandits on Sunday attacked the community; they ambushed the troops and killed many of them. The families of the dead soldiers have been informed, but the army has been silent on the incident,” a local source told reporters. “In Tofa, over 15 people were massacred, many others were injured, and some were nowhere to be found,” the source added.
The back-to-back attacks in Niger and Zamfara have once again drawn attention to the failure of Tinubu’s government to address the spiralling insecurity that has plagued the North for years. With each new killing, questions mount over the military’s capacity to defend not just civilians—but itself.
Despite repeated declarations by the federal government to end banditry, the situation appears to be escalating. Security analysts say the lack of transparency from the military and the presidency only fuels public mistrust and emboldens criminal groups.
As of press time, the Defence Headquarters had yet to issue any public comment regarding the Niger or Zamfara incidents.
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