At least 20 Nigerian soldiers have died following a deadly ambush by armed bandits near Bangi in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, raising alarm over worsening insecurity in the North-Central region.
The attack, which occurred on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, saw heavily armed bandits launch coordinated assaults on a military camp in Konan Dutse Kaiyan Ghana at around 11 p.m., and later at Gulmin Boka around 5 p.m. According to Alhaji Abbas Kasuwa Garba, Chairman of Mariga Local Government Council, 17 bodies of fallen soldiers have been recovered and deposited at the Kontagora barracks, while a search is still ongoing with the help of vigilantes and security operatives.
The Nigerian Army, in a statement issued Wednesday by Lt. Colonel Apolonia Anele, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, confirmed that its troops engaged over 300 bandits in a fierce gun battle that lasted over three hours in Kwanar Dutse Forest. Despite the military’s strong resistance, 17 soldiers paid the supreme price, while 10 others sustained various injuries.
“The wounded personnel have been evacuated to a military medical facility, where they are receiving treatment and are in stable condition,” Lt. Col. Anele confirmed.
He revealed that the bandits were attempting a night-time transit toward Kwatankoro Forest, potentially to launch further attacks or evade military pressure from Zamfara State, but their plans were foiled by combined ground troops and precision airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force. These strikes, she said, inflicted “significant enemy losses,” though the exact number of bandit casualties is yet to be confirmed.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Oluwafemi Oluyede, extended condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and directed immediate and quality medical attention for the wounded. He also tasked relevant Army departments to liaise closely with the bereaved families.
Oluyede reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to defeating terrorism and restoring peace to affected communities:
“The Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Air Force, and other security agencies, will continue to work tirelessly to see an end to terrorism, banditry, and other forms of criminality plaguing our society. The sanctity of our freedom shall not be mortgaged.”
The Army also urged the public to support ongoing operations by providing timely intelligence, noting that community cooperation remains essential to the success of counter-terrorism efforts.
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