A violent confrontation erupted at a military camp in Faskari local government area of Katsina State, resulting in the death of five soldiers while 11 others were injured.
The attack, occurring around 2pm on Sunday, also claimed the lives of several civilians and a local vigilante member.
According to a military internal memo, over 200 heavily armed terrorists, led by notorious bandit kingpin Ado Aleiru, stormed the Yar Malamai village military camp.
“Terrorist attack on military camp causing grievous hurt and death of military personnel,” the memo detailed the grave situation.
A member of the local vigilante group, identified as 30-year-old Aliyu Tukur, was among those killed. The document elaborated on the intense gunfight that ensued: “Supol Faskari and his team responded promptly to the scene, engaging the bandits in a fierce battle, supported by Air Force components. Unfortunately, despite the efforts, we suffered significant losses.”
The battle, lasting over two hours, forced the military to pull back the remaining forces to a safer location, about 25 kilometers away, due to the heavy casualties incurred. The memo added, “The bandits also suffered heavy casualties but have succeeded in removing them away from the scene.”
The aftermath saw the terrorists returning to Yarmalamai village, burning houses and escalating the violence, although specific casualty figures from the subsequent attack remained unconfirmed.
