Bandits kill at least 12 soldiers in army base attack

At least 12 soldiers were killed when armed bandits carried out a daring attack on a military base in Kampanin Doka in Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State on Tuesday, March 20, 2018.

According to a report by TheCable, the attackers killed three soldiers in a hole and nine others on another part of the base in the raid.

An unnamed source at the emirate council said, "We gathered that the soldiers had caught a thief in a village called Maganda in the area and were taking him back to their camp when some personnel of the Nigerian Police Force asked them to hand over the thief to them which the soldiers refused.

"The same police followed the soldiers to their camp in Kampanin Doka and again asked them to hand over the thief to them, but the soldiers still refused.

"Around 8pm on Tuesday, bandits attacked the soldier's camp and killed three soldiers in a hole and nine others in a tent in the camp."

A former chairman of the local government, who pleaded not to be identified, also told Premium Times that the bandits also injured nine vigilantes who rushed to assist the soldiers.

He said, "The bandits also ambushed our vigilantes at Maganga, about 44 kilometres from Birnin Gwari this morning (Wednesday) when they were rushing there to assist the soldiers. About nine sustained gun shot injuries. They were rushed to General Hospital Birnin Gwari for treatment."

The spokesperson of the 1 division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Mohammed Dole, said a press statement will be released soon to address the attack.

"We are already in the bush trying to ascertain the situation. We will issue a statement, please be patient," he told Premium Times.