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Several soldiers have been killed in a fierce firefight with bandits in the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for 8 Division Nigerian Army/Sector 2, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, said in a statement on Sunday that troops engaged a camp belonging to notorious bandit leader Gwaska Dan Karmi.
The confrontation, he said, followed intelligence that more than 100 bandits had gathered to plan attacks on local communities and military supply lines.
Osoba reported that troops, supported by the Nigerian Air Force, intercepted the bandits on January 31, 2026. A heavy firefight broke out when the bandits tried to flank and encircle the soldiers.
While many of the attackers were neutralised, others fled with gunshot wounds, and the camp was set ablaze before the troops withdrew.
“Regrettably, some gallant soldiers paid the supreme price during the fierce encounter, and one combat enabler vehicle was hit by the enemy’s Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG), which caught fire,” he said.
He added that the army honours their sacrifice and remains committed to dismantling bandit networks.
He noted that the air force continues to carry out missions to pursue fleeing bandits, while ground forces maintain control over the area.
Osoba described the operation as part of the ongoing Operation FANSAN YAMMA, aimed at curbing banditry in the region, where armed groups have terrorised the communities.
