Several bandits, two soldiers and a mobile police officer were killed Monday during a fight that ensued after the outlaws attacked a security camp in Zamfara state.
The terrorists had attacked security personnel stationed at the Government Day Secondary School, Dauran, in Zurmi local government area of the state.
Multiple sources from Dauran and Zurmi said the attack, which began around 9:30 a.m., was launched by the terrorists to avenge the arrest of one of them by the soldiers on Sunday after being identified by locals.
“Some residents who were once kidnapped spotted a bandit in the market Sunday and alerted the soldiers that were stationed in the community. The soldiers came and arrested the suspect and took him away,” a community leader in Dauran, who asked not to be named for security reason said.
Two groups of terrorists were said to have stormed the camp which is a government secondary school now used by the soldiers.
“Most of the soldiers were inside the classrooms that now serve as their rooms when they started hearing gunshots,” a youth leader in Zurmi, Abubakar (surname withheld), said.
“The two soldiers killed and the mobile policeman were on duty outside, so they fired back. They exchanged fire for some time before the other soldiers joined,” he added.
He said several terrorists were killed by the soldiers but only two bodies were recovered as the bandits retrieved and withdrew with the others.
“Terrorists don’t leave behind dead bodies of their friends. They try as much as possible to take away all dead bodies. Yesterday, they left behind two dead bodies and went away with others. Several of them also got bullet wounds. I believe if the soldiers had more, they would have killed all the terrorists,” Abubakar said.
Ibrahim Yahaya, the spokesperson for Operation Hadarin Daji, 1 Bridge ,Nigerian Army in Zamfara state, and the police spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, did not respond to calls and SMS sent to them over the attack.
Most of the communities in local government areas sharing a border with the Niger Republic like Zurmi (Zamfara), Jibia and Batsari (Katsina), Gada, Sabon Birni and Isa (Sokoto) have in recent weeks witnessed the resurgence of terrorist activities. (Premium Times)
