Some unknown gunmen suspected of being bandits have reportedly killed 21 soldiers and senior army officers in a recent attack in Niger State.
Reports obtained by FTN revealed that the troops were attacked in Kundu via Zungeru in the Wushishi Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger state.
It was revealed that the security operatives were trying to prevent the criminals from escaping with some rustled cattle when the bandits ambushed them, leading to the casualties, including five vigilantes who were injured by bullets.
It was gathered that the bandits had rustled several animals from several communities and tried to cross from Akere to the northern parts of the country.
An eyewitness who spoke to Channels Television said that the corpses of the 21 military personnel were deposited at the same Zungeru hospital where the injured vigilante group were receiving medical treatment.
It was also revealed that 13 of the troops were killed in an encounter on Sunday, while eight others were killed on Monday in the ambush in which a two-star captain and a major were reportedly involved.
An injured vigilante, Sani Adamu, told journalists that the assailants and army troops had a gun battle within a range of less than 100m, but they were challenged because the criminals’ weapons were more sophisticated than theirs, leading to casualties.
