Latest news with #NigerianAirForce
Arabian Post
2 days ago
- Arabian Post
Northern Bases Ambushed, 17 Soldiers Slain in Niger State
Seventeen Nigerian soldiers have died and ten more were wounded after coordinated attacks on three military bases in Niger and Kaduna states, the army confirmed. The assaults began in the early hours of Tuesday, as heavily armed gunmen stormed forward operating posts in Kwanar Dutse and Boka, along with a base in neighbouring Kaduna State. Combat persisted for several hours under heavy fire. Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele stated that the attackers numbered around 300 and emerged from Kwanar Dutse Forest. Troops engaged in a fierce, three‑hour firefight before calling in Nigerian Air Force precision airstrikes on retreating militants. The operation reportedly inflicted severe losses on the assailants. The fallen soldiers were flown to a military hospital, where those injured are currently stable. Local officials and military sources confirm that all 17 fatalities occurred at the Kwanar Dutse Mariga base. 'It was an ambush,' said Abbas Kasuwar Garba, chairman of Mariga district. 'They came from nowhere and used heavy ammunition to attack.' ADVERTISEMENT The Nigerian Army has launched a robust counteroffensive following the attack. A statement from the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Oluwafemi Oluyede, extended condolences to grieving families and underscored that all efforts are being made to treat the injured and pursue the perpetrators. Analysts note that this attack fits a disturbing pattern of escalating violence in the northwest, where criminal networks—often referred to locally as bandits—frequently clash with military forces and kidnap civilians. These criminal groups, some with suspected ties to Islamic insurgent factions, have increasingly targeted security facilities. This incident echoes past offensives, such as the April 2022 assault on a base in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna, where 17 soldiers were similarly killed. Militants in that attack used motorbikes and rocket‑propelled grenades, overrunning the facility in broad daylight. The involvement of a large number of assailants is a cause for concern. The military's use of both ground troops and air support suggests a coordinated response, yet the presence of hundreds of heavily armed fighters highlights porous security in enclaves like Kwanar Dutse Forest and the Boka region. Efforts to strengthen defences in vulnerable areas have continued, though the army has acknowledged difficulties maintaining forward posts and protecting communities. Bandits and militants appear adept at exploiting forested terrain and intelligence gaps, enabling them to mount sudden, lethal raids. Niger State has suffered a steep rise in such attacks over the past year, with bases and outposts frequently targeted. The military has frequently responded with joint operations and airstrikes—yet the death toll among soldiers remains troublingly high. In response to this latest tragedy, military authorities have reiterated their commitment to bolstering frontline capabilities, expanding intelligence gathering, and launching targeted operations in bandit‑infested zones. Plans are reportedly under discussion to reposition troops, upgrade armoury, and intensify patrols. At the same time, analysts caution that unless root causes—such as criminal networks, forest hideouts, and cross‑border militant ties—are comprehensively addressed, similar ambushes are likely to recur.
DW
3 days ago
- DW
Soldiers killed in bandit attacks on Nigerian Army bases – DW – 06/25/2025
Armed gangs overran the army bases engaging in prolonged firefights with troops deployed to battle criminal gangs and jihadists. The military responded with a counteroffensive operation. At least 17 soldiers were killed when armed gangs attacked three of the army's forward operating bases in central and northwestern Nigeria. In what appeared to be a coordinated assault, the gangs, commonly referred to locally as bandits, attacked bases on Tuesday in the states of Niger and Kaduna. The attackers engaged troops in prolonged firefights lasting several hours. "Sadly, some gallant warriors paid the supreme price in the day-long battles while four troops wounded in action are currently receiving treatment for their gunshot wounds," the army said in a statement on Wednesday. One officer told the AFP news agency, "bandits attacked the camp while others laid ambush on soldiers outside." The Nigerian Army confirmed the attacks and said it had launched counteroffensives in coordination with the Nigerian Air Force, which resulted in "significant enemy losses." Armed groups operating in the northwest are known for mass kidnappings for ransom and frequent attacks on security personnel. They maintain camps in a vast forest that spans parts of Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna states in the northwest, as well as Niger state in the central region. In addition to fighting armed gangs, the Nigerian military continues to face persistent threats from Boko Haram and "Islamic State"-affiliated groups operating in the region. Earlier in June, gunmen killed scores of people in Benue state. Amnesty International Nigeria said that at least 100 people were killed, and police later reported that 26 suspects were arrested in connection with the attack.
Al Jazeera
02-06-2025
- General
- Al Jazeera
Amnesty calls for probe into ‘reckless' Nigerian military air strike
A military air strike in northwest Nigeria has killed at least 20 people, according to the military and local residents, prompting calls from human rights groups for an investigation into the attack. The strike occurred over the weekend in Zamfara state, one of the regions worst affected by violence from armed groups, commonly referred to as 'bandits'. Nigerian Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said the strike followed intelligence that 'a significant number of terrorists were massing and preparing to strike unsuspecting settlements'. 'Further intelligence confirmed that the bandits had killed some farmers and abducted a number of civilians, including women and children,' Ejodame said in a statement, adding that two local vigilantes were killed and two others injured in the crossfire. However, according to residents cited by the AFP news agency, a group of local vigilantes pursuing a gang was mistakenly bombed by a Nigerian military jet. The air force had been called in by villagers who had suffered an attack earlier in the weekend. Locals said an unknown number of people were also wounded in the strike. 'We were hit by double tragedy on Saturday,' said Buhari Dangulbi, a resident of the affected area. 'Dozens of our people and several cows were taken by bandits, and those who trailed the bandits to rescue them were attacked by a fighter jet. It killed 20 of them.' Residents told AFP that the bandits had earlier attacked the villages of Mani and Wabi in Maru district, stealing cattle and abducting several people. In response, vigilantes launched a pursuit to recover the captives and stolen livestock. 'The military aircraft arrived and started firing, killing at least 20 of our people,' Abdullahi Ali, a Mani resident and member of a local hunters' militia, told the Reuters news agency. Another resident, Ishiye Kabiru, said: 'Our vigilantes from Maraya and nearby communities gathered and went after the bandits. Unfortunately, a military jet struck them.' Alka Tanimu, also from the area, added: 'We will still have to pay to get those kidnapped back, while the cows are gone for good.' Amnesty International condemned the strike and urged a full investigation. 'Attacks by bandits clearly warrant a response from the state, but to launch reckless air strikes into villages – again and again – is absolutely unlawful,' the rights group said. Nigeria's military has previously acknowledged mistakenly hitting civilians during air operations targeting armed gangs. In January, at least 16 vigilantes were killed in a similar strike in Zamfara's Zurmi district. In December 2022, more than 100 civilians were killed in Mutunji village while pursuing bandits. A year later, an attack on a religious gathering in Kaduna state killed at least 85 people.
Straits Times
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
At least 20 killed in airstrike on militia group, Nigeria air force says
At least 20 killed in airstrike on militia group, Nigeria air force says MAIDUGURI, Nigeria - The Nigerian Air Force killed more than 20 armed militia members and destroyed 21 motorcycles in an airstrike in northwestern Zamfara state over the weekend, thwarting a planned large-scale attack on villages, a spokesperson said on Monday. Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said the strike followed intelligence that "a significant number of terrorists were massing and preparing to strike unsuspecting settlements." "Further intelligence confirmed that the bandits had killed some farmers and abducted a number of civilians, including women and children," Ejodame said in a statement, adding that two local vigilantes were killed and two others injured in the crossfire. Residents and Amnesty International earlier reported the airstrike, with the rights group calling for authorities to investigate the incident. "Attacks by bandits clearly warrant a response from the state, but to launch reckless airstrikes into villages — again and again — is absolutely unlawful," Amnesty said in a statement. Residents said the airstrike occurred on Sunday in Maraya and Wabi villages in Zamfara state, one of the epicentres of attacks by armed groups, commonly called bandits, that maraud Nigeria's northwest region. The attack was carried out at the request of villagers who had suffered a bandit attack at the weekend, the residents said. An unknown number of people were wounded, they said. "The military aircraft arrived and started firing, killing at least 20 of our people," Abdullahi Ali, a Mani resident and member of a militia group of hunters, told Reuters by phone. Nigeria's military has in the past admitted to mistakenly targeting civilians while pursuing armed gangs in northwest Nigeria, where there is widespread insecurity, and has promised to investigate such cases. In January, a military airstrike killed 16 people in Tungar Kara, another town in Zamfara. Auwal Idris, another resident, said a jet dropped a bomb close to where community guards were fighting bandits, killing 20 of the guards. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Nigeria army airstrike kills 20 people, Amnesty and residents says
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria - At least 20 people were killed in a military airstrike in Nigeria's northwestern Zamfara state over the weekend, residents and Amnesty International said on Monday, with the rights group calling for authorities to investigate the incident. The Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force could not immediately be reached for comment. Residents said the airstrike occurred on Sunday in Maraya and Wabi villages in Zamfara state, one of the epicentres of attacks by armed groups, commonly called bandits, that maraud Nigeria's northwest region. The military operation was carried out by the Nigerian Air Force at the request of villagers who had suffered a bandit attack at the weekend, the residents said. An unknown number of people were wounded, they said. "The military aircraft arrived and started firing, killing at least 20 of our people," Abdullahi Ali, a Mani resident and member of a militia group of hunters, told Reuters by phone. Nigeria's military has in the past admitted to mistakenly targeting civilians while pursuing armed gangs in northwest Nigeria, where there is widespread insecurity, and has promised to investigate such cases. In January, a military airstrike killed 16 people in Tungar Kara, another town in Zamfara. Auwal Idris, another resident, said a jet dropped a bomb close to where community guards were fighting bandits, killing 20 of the guards. Amnesty said the latest incident should be investigated. "Attacks by bandits clearly warrant a response from the state, but to launch reckless airstrikes into villages — again and again — is absolutely unlawful," Amnesty said in a statement. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
