Bandits invade Zamfara community, kill 9 soldiers, policemen

GUNMEN, on Friday, attacked a military formation at Sunke community in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing nine soldiers in the process.

Saturday Tribune gathered that dozens of the gunmen had invaded the formation on motorcycles and fired shots at the soldiers stationed there.

Sources within the community claimed that policemen were among the victims.

Sunke is 30 kilometers south of Anka town, headquarters of Anka Local Government Area.

Sources said the attack might be retaliation for earlier killings of repentant bandits allegedly by soldiers in the state.

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“Soldiers killed some of the repentant bandits and they vowed to avenge the killings. The repentant bandits mobilised their men and raided the army formation in the village,” said one of the sources.

The attack on the soldiers came barely two weeks after the state government raised the alarm over possible attacks on seven local government areas by suspected Boko Haram bandits.

When contacted, the spokesperson of Operation Hadarin Daji in the state, Captain Oni Orisan, said “give me some time. I will get back to you.” He did not answer several calls made by our correspondent afterwards.

In another development, troops of the Nigerian Army, in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF), on Thursday night, ambushed suspected Boko Haram terrorists at Banki Road Junction in Pulka, Gwoza, Borno State and killed three of them.

The Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Ado Isa, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

Isa said the successful operation followed credible information from some patriotic Nigerians about terrorists’ movement around Pulka in Gwoza general area.

He said an unconfirmed number of terrorists were reportedly wounded during the ambush, adding there was no casualty on the side of Nigerian Army or Civilian JTF.

According to him, two AK 47 rifles and two bicycles were recovered by the troops.

“Similarly, at about 2250 hours on Thursday, in what seemed like a reprisal attack to avenge the loss of their members in the ambush conducted by the troops, some marauders/criminals woefully attacked the Delta Company Location of the SRA at Pulka.

“Consequently, troops swiftly responded by effectively repelling the attack, one bandit lost his life and one AK 47 rifle was recovered.

“No casualty was recorded by the JTF or the troops.

“The acting GOC 7 Division and Commander Sector 1 Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Brigadier-General A. K. Ibrahim, was in SRA Pulka where he interacted with the troops.

“He commended them for the successes so far and urged them to remain committed and unwavering in the struggle to end the insurgency,” he said.