Suspected gunmen on Thursday killed about nine soldiers during a retaliatory attack on the security men in Sunke village, Anka local government area of Zamfara state.
According to some eyewitness accounts, the gunmen in their dozens on motorcycles arrived the village and began shooting sporadically at the soldiers station in the village leading to the death of about nine of them.
The sources added that the soldiers were taken unaware by the gunmen who from all indications were out only for the soldiers as they left without attacking other people in the village.
A highly placed government source said the attack seems to be retaliation on the earlier killings of repentant bandits by the soldiers in recent time.
“Soldiers killed some of the repentant bandits and they vowed to avenge the attacks. The repentant bandits mobilized their men and raided the army formation in the village,” the source said.
When contacted, the spokesperson of Operation Hadarin Daji in the state, Captain Oni Orisan said he needed time to verify the incident.
“Give me sometimes I will get back to you”, he said..
As at the filing this report, he did not return multiple calls.
The attack on the soldiers came barely two weeks after the state government raised alarm over possible attacks on seven local government areas by suspected Boko Haram members.
It will be recalled that last Wednesday, residents of villages spotted dozens of armed men riding motorcycles on the road at Mayanchi junction along Gusau – Sokoto highway.
The villagers said the gunmen claimed that they were heading to Birnin Gwari in the neighbouring Kaduna state.
Meanwhile, soldiers on counter insurgency operations in the north east have killed three Boko Haram terrorists and recovered several arms and ammunitions from them.
Deputy Director Army Public Relations for the 7 Division Nigerian army, Colonel Ado Isa in a statement said the terrorists were ambushed and killed after some villagers hinted about their presence along Banki Road Junction, Pulka in Gwoza general area in Borno State.
Isa in the statement said “Following credible information from some patriotic Nigerians about terrorists movement along Banki Road Junction, Pulka in Gwoza general area, troops of Special Response Area (SRA) Pulka under the Nigerian Army Super Camp Gwoza, in collaboration with Civilian Joint Task Force conducted a successful night ambush on Thursday 3rd October 2019, which resulted in the neutralization of 3 terrorists, recovery of 2 AK 47 Rifles and 2 motorcycles.”
