Bandits Attack Zamfara Community, Kill Nigerian Army Lieutenant; Soldiers, 15 Villagers Feared Dead. Read details below..
GoldenNewsNg reports that an unconfirmed number of Nigerian soldiers have reportedly been killed after bandits ambushed troops along a highway in Zamfara State.
Among those killed was a Nigerian Army officer identified as Lieutenant Isma’il Yahya, according to sources familiar with the incident.
The attack occurred on Sunday, when armed men laid an ambush for the military team deployed in the area. The soldiers were responding to a distress call from Tofa community, located in the Magami district of Gusau Local Government Area, which has suffered several attacks in recent times.
In a separate but related assault, gunmen invaded Tofa village and opened fire on residents, killing more than 15 people, while many others sustained injuries. Some residents have also been reported missing following the attack.
Tofa, which is located a few kilometers from Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, has become a frequent target of armed bandits, forcing many of its residents to flee. Reports indicate that the attackers had earlier imposed levies on the community, which locals were unable to pay. The village is said to be largely unprotected by security forces.
According to Reports, “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.
“In Tofa, over 15 people were massacred, many others were injured, and some were nowhere to be found.“
Attempts to reach Lieutenant Colonel Onyinyechi Anele, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, were unsuccessful, as her phone was switched off at the time of filing this report.
Zamfara is one of the northern states battling relentless attacks by armed bandits who frequently raid villages, loot properties, abduct residents, and burn homes. These criminal groups operate from hideouts within a vast forest spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger States.
In 2019, the former governor of the state and current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, entered into a peace agreement with the bandits. Despite the deal, violent attacks have continued across several communities in Zamfara, with residents frequently kidnapped, killed, or forced into exile.
As of the time of this report, the Nigerian Army had not released an official statement on the killings.
