Army Foils Bandits Attack in Kano

Troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF) have stopped an attempted attack by bandits on several communities in the Shanono Local Government Area of Kano after hours of intense gun battles.

The clash, which began late on Thursday and continued into the early hours of Friday, affected Yankwada, Babanduhu and other neighbouring villages.

Confirming the development to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Nigerian Army spokesperson in Kano, Major Zubair Babatunde, said the attackers arrived on motorcycles, firing continuously as they attempted to enter the communities. 

He explained that the attack was believed to be a reprisal following the killing of several bandits during an earlier encounter with troops last week.

Babatunde said the assailants launched the attack at about 1:00 a.m. but were swiftly engaged and forced to retreat by the military.

He hinted that the Joint Task Force’s timely response prevented casualties and significant property damage in the affected areas.

The army spokesperson reassured residents of the military’s commitment to protecting lives and property, urging them to continue supporting security agencies with credible and timely information. 

He also said troops remain on high alert to forestall further attacks and sustain peace across the state.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Shanono/Bagwai Community Security Forum, Alhaji Yahya Bagobiri, also confirmed the incident, describing it as a revenge mission by the bandits after losing nine fighters to military firepower the previous week.

Bagobiri said the bandits arrived on more than 50 motorcycles, each carrying armed men equipped with heavy weapons, including bazookas.

According to him, the bandits opened fire from around 1:00 a.m. until about 5:00 a.m., resulting in the death of a civilian and the rustling of about 100 cows.

He, however, commended the military for preventing the attackers from gaining access to the main towns.

“The bandits were dislodged by the military’s tactical fighting, even though they came with heavy arms, but succeeded only in stealing 100 cows and killing one civilian,” Bagobiri said.

He called on the Nigerian government to provide additional arms and deploy more personnel to support security operatives on the ground, expressing confidence that increased military presence and cooperation with the Nigerian Air Force would help contain banditry across the Shanono, Bagwai, Tsanyawa and Gwarzo local government areas.

However, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 3 Brigade Nigerian Army, Captain Zubairu Babatunde, when contacted, disputed some aspects of the account.

He stated that there were no civilian casualties and no cases of cattle rustling during the incident, confirming that all the other accounts of the incident were accurate. 

The attack follows previous confrontations in the area.

Last week, at least nine bandits were reportedly killed during a gun battle with the military at Bakaji and Unguwar Garma in the Shanono Local Government Area, during which a vigilante member was killed and another injured.