At least 45 bandits have been reportedly killed during a joint military operation in Iburu village, Shiroro LGA of Niger State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the operation, carried out by Nigerian Army troops in collaboration with hybrid forces and guided by intelligence from the Department of State Services (DSS), took place on Friday evening.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency platform covering the Lake Chad region, the raid was launched following credible intelligence intercepted by the DSS, indicating that a large group of terrorists on motorcycles was mobilising to attack Iburu and nearby communities.
The insurgents reportedly split into smaller units under the cover of dusk in an attempt to encircle the village. However, troops lying in wait ambushed the attackers, resulting in a prolonged exchange of gunfire that lasted several hours.
Following the encounter, troops reportedly found the bodies of at least 40 terrorists at the scene, while several motorcycles were destroyed.
Two members of the hybrid forces were however killed and four others sustained severe injury during the operation. The injured personnel are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Minna, Niger State.
This operation forms part of broader efforts to reclaim and stabilise communities in Niger State, especially in the Shiroro-Munya axis, which has been a hotspot for criminal and terrorist activity.
