The Defence Headquarters has announced the killing of three soldiers by bandits in Jibia, Katsina State.
Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko, Ag Director, Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters, said this in a statement on Sunday.
“On 18 July 2020 gallant troops of Combat Team 1, Operation SAHEL SANITY with the support of Air Task Force advanced and captured one of the notorious armed bandits strongholds located deep in the forest in Jibia LGA of Katsina State known as Dangote Camp.
“Initial resistance by the bandits was effectively subdued by the superior tactics and dexterity of the troops which resulted in inflicting heavy casualty on the bandits.
“At the end of the encounter, 17 bandits were neutralized while several others were believed to have escaped with gunshot wounds as evident by the trails of blood along their escape routes.
“Equally, 5 AK 47 Rifles, 3 Dane guns, 2 AK 47 Rifle magazines, 152 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition and 7 motorcycles were captured from the fleeing bandits.
“Regrettably, one brave officer and 2 gallant soldiers paid the supreme price while 4 other soldiers were wounded in action. However, the wounded in action soldiers are currently responding positively to treatment in a military medical facility.”
However, a public affairs commentator with contacts in security circles Bulama Bukarti said on his twitter handle that the soldiers killed in the ambush by bandits were about 20.
A journalist Yusuf Anka, who reports for HumAngle, also tweeted photos of some of the soldiers killed in the Jibia ambush.
They include 2ndLt Saifullahi Ahmad and 2ndLt Habibu Abubakar.
Nigerian soldiers have been accused of playing down the number of casualty on its side during clash with criminals.
Katsina is one of the states dealing with banditry in the North West.
