No fewer than eight suspected bandits were reportedly killed in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion along Lukope Road in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, in what security sources described as an accidental detonation of an explosive believed to have been planted for security forces.
According to sources, the incident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. on March 20 along the Kurebe–Kushaka axis, a known route frequently used by armed groups operating within the forest belt. The IED was said to have been emplaced by the bandits to target advancing troops but detonated when members of the group, travelling on motorcycles, inadvertently rode over the device.
A security source disclosed that the blast resulted in the instant death of about eight suspected bandits, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries. The affected group was believed to be loyal to notorious bandit leader Dogo Gide and was reportedly heading toward the Lukope area at the time of the explosion.
Troops of Operation Fansan Yamma, Sector 1, were said to have swiftly mobilised to the scene and intensified patrols across the surrounding forest corridor to prevent any further security breaches. The development has heightened anxiety among residents of Kushaka, Kurebe, Gbato and neighbouring communities, amid fears of possible reprisal attacks by fleeing members of the armed group.
Security stakeholders have reportedly called for proactive measures to reassure residents and strengthen security presence across vulnerable communities in the area. Sources added that surveillance and patrols had been increased along strategic routes, while monitoring of the situation remains ongoing to sustain stability and forestall further threats.
-Zagazola
