.png)
A total of 30 bandits were neutralised during a gun duel with Nigerian Army troops and vigilantes, while some military personnel including senior officers paid the supreme price at Kundu via Zungeru in the Wushishi Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger state.
It was gathered that 13 of them were killed in an encounter on Sunday, while eight others were killed on Monday in an ambush in which a two-star captain and a major were reportedly involved.
In a telephone interview with SpyeTV News, the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said, "I can confirm that there was an incident in Wushishi LG of Niger state. Our gallant patriots paid the supreme price when they ran into an ambush staged by insurgents. They were courageous till the end.
The Army Spokesperson further revealed that the gallant troops stood their ground and defended the country with their lives.
He noted that the focus now is how to console and bring respite to those they left behind.
"Sadly the incident occured while the Chief of Army Staff is on operational tour of the North West Operations theatre for on the spot assessment and reinvigoration of ongoing operations. He has currently headed to the affected formation to encourage the troops.", he stressed.
Furthermore, our correspondent gathered that Eight other soldiers reportedly sustained severe injuries in the bitter skirmish, in which they fought the bandits to a standstill and killed over 30 of them.
Also reports say bodies of 30 bandits killed during the operation were abandoned in the forest while those injured were taken away.
According to our source, the security operatives were trying to block the Kundu route of the criminals who were about to cross with some rustled cattle when they were ambushed, leading to the casualties including five vigilantes who were injured with bullets.
It was reliably gathered that the bandits had rustled several animals from several communities and tried to cross from Akere to the northern parts of the country.
The remains of the 21 military personnel were deposited at the same Zungeru hospital where the injured vigilante group were receiving medical treatment.
An injured vigilante, Sani Adamu, in a phone interview, said they had a gun battle within a range of less than 100m but they were challenged because the criminals’ weapons were more sophisticated than theirs, leading to casualties