Bandits in Nigeria ambush and kill 21 government-backed fighters

Convoy of pro-government fighters was returning from a ceremonial erstwhile they came nether occurrence from bandits successful Katsina State.

At slightest 21 government-backed fighters person been killed successful an ambush by bandits successful Nigeria’s northwest Katsina State, according to authorities.

Katsina constabulary spokesperson Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu told the AFP quality bureau connected Saturday that a convoy of pro-government fighters was returning from paying condolences to the household of a dormant workfellow erstwhile it came nether occurrence from bandits successful the colony of Baure, successful the Safana district.

“Sadly, 21 persons were fatally changeable arsenic a effect of the attack,” Aliyu said, adding constabulary were seeking to “ensure the apprehension of the perpetrators” of the attack, which happened connected Tuesday.

Witnesses, however, told Nigeria’s Premium Times that arsenic galore arsenic 25 radical were killed successful the attack, portion galore much villagers stay missing.

Nigeria’s The Guardian said the fighters were members of the state-backed Katsina Community Watch Corps (KCWC).

The paper besides quoted Aliyu arsenic saying constabulary person been deployed to the country of the onslaught to assistance reconstruct order.

Katsina is 1 of respective states successful northwestern and cardinal Nigeria plagued by bandits who raid villages, sidesplitting and abducting residents arsenic good arsenic burning and looting homes.

In June 2024, astatine slightest 7 radical were killed and 100 kidnapped erstwhile gunmen attacked a agrarian assemblage successful the state.

The gangs, who support camps successful a immense wood straddling Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Niger states, person earned notoriety for wide kidnappings of students from schools successful caller years.

Nigeria’s Boko Haram group has besides carried retired attacks and abductions successful the state.

In 2023, Katsina State Governor Dikko Umar Radda established the KCWC unit comprising astir 2,000 radical to assistance the subject and constabulary successful warring the gangs.

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies