Deadly Clash in Niger: 20 Soldiers, Dozens of Bandits Killed as Military Battles Terror in Mariga
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Deadly Clash in Niger: 20 Soldiers, Dozens of Bandits Killed as Military Battles Terror in Mariga
At least 20 soldiers were reportedly killed on Tuesday when heavily armed bandits launched coordinated attacks on two military camps in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State. Several other troops sustained injuries, while an unconfirmed number of bandits were neutralized during the intense firefight.
The Nigerian Army has officially confirmed the death of 17 soldiers in the encounter. According to military sources, 17 bodies have been recovered from the bush, with a search operation ongoing to locate any missing personnel.
In a separate event in Abuja, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Christopher Musa revealed that the military plans to deploy 800 specially trained forces to high-risk zones across Nigeria to tackle escalating security threats.
According to reports, over 200 bandits riding motorcycles stormed the camps in Kwanan Duse and Gulbin Boka. A fierce gun battle broke out at Kwanan Duse and lasted for nearly four hours. The Mariga Council Chairman, Abbas Adamu, alerted the Kontagora military base for reinforcements, but the bandits moved to attack the Gulbin Boka camp before reinforcements could arrive.
Read also: Army Lieutenant, 15 Villagers Feared Dead as Bandits Raid Zamfara Community
Adamu, who confirmed the incident, said the attackers likely infiltrated Niger from Zamfara through the Shadadi forest. He noted that the bandits looted shops, rustled cattle, but did not abduct any individuals. “From all indications, the aim of the bandits was to dislodge the military from their camps and gain unhindered access to some communities,” he said.
The local vigilante leader, Mallam Abubakar Sani, also confirmed the attack but was unable to provide casualty details from the bandit side.
Security forces, in collaboration with vigilantes, have now mobilized to the Gulbin Boka forest, a suspected hideout for the attackers. At the time of reporting, no statement had been issued by the state government.
We lost 17 men — Army
Lieutenant Colonel Apolonia Anele, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, stated:
“The troops, in collaboration with the Air Component of the Nigerian Air Force, engaged bandits numbering over 300 in Kwanar Dutse Forest. Sadly, 17 brave and gallant soldiers paid the supreme price during the encounter, while 10 others sustained varying degrees of injury. The wounded personnel have been evacuated to a military medical facility, where they are receiving treatment and are in stable condition.”
Military to Deploy 800 Special Forces to High-Risk Zones
Meanwhile, the Defence Minister, Badaru Abubakar, has tasked the military to realign training with national security needs.
Speaking at the Defence Training Conference 2025, Gen. Musa said:
“Sometime next week, we will be graduating the first 800 special forces team trained to face the challenges we are undergoing and the training is very comprehensive.
We have realised that deploying them in pieces also creates that weakness that we see. We will be deploying them together, a force that stays together that will understand each other.”
He emphasized that modern threats such as terrorism, cyber warfare, and advanced weaponry require unified, technologically adaptive training.
“The enemy we are dealing with is someone who has nothing to lose. He lives, he dies, his guilt goes with him,” Gen. Musa added.
Minister Badaru stressed that victory against such enemies depends on strategy, coordination, and real-time adaptation to new security threats and doctrines.
