Gunmen Kill 10 Security Operatives…Nigerian Military Arrests Bandit Leader, Gunrunner…Fire Destroys Over 80 Huts in IDP Camp…Navy Officer Rescued After Kidnap
- 10 Dead, 3 Missing After Armed Ambush on Nigerian Security Forces
Ten security personnel were killed in an ambush by bandits in Zamfara State, Nigeria, officials said.
The attack happened Saturday in Anka County as security forces were returning from a raid on criminal hideouts in Sunke Forest, a known hideout for armed gangs. The joint operation, led by the Nigerian Army and local security groups, had targeted armed gangs known for terrorizing rural communities.
“I received the heartbreaking news that bandits ambushed some members of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards,” Governor Dauda Lawal said in a Facebook post.
Lawal said six members of the state-backed security group and four community guards were killed, while three others remain missing.
Zamfara, in northwestern Nigeria, has been a hotspot for gang violence, with frequent attacks on villages and security forces.
- Military Nets Gunrunner with Over $800 for Illegal Arms and Top Bandit Leader
Nigerian troops have arrested a suspected bandit leader and a gunrunner in coordinated operations targeting criminal networks in Taraba and Plateau states, according to Peoples Gazette.
“On 20 March 2025, troops apprehended a suspected member of a high-profile gunrunning syndicate,” Army spokesperson Olubodunde Oni said. The suspect, Alhaji Mansur Mohammad, was found with ₦1.2 million (approximately $786), allegedly for illegal arms purchases.
On the same day, troops arrested Adamu Yakubu, a suspected bandit leader known as “No Money No Guy”, linked to multiple violent crimes, including a deadly March 10 attack in Benue State “where two persons were killed, one sustained life-threatening injuries, and others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot and machete wounds,” Oni said.
The military pledged to continue operations against banditry and urged the public to provide intelligence to help combat the threat.
- Over 80 Shelters Burn in Nigerian IDP Camp Fire, No Casualties Reported
A fire swept through an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in northeastern Nigeria on Saturday, destroying more than 80 makeshift shelters and leaving dozens of families without homes.
Zagazola Makama reported that the fire erupted around 3:10 p.m. local time at the Government Girls Secondary School IDP Camp in Monguno, Borno State. Just 12 minutes earlier, another fire broke out in Gana Ali Ward, a residential district in the town, consuming 15 houses.
No casualties were reported, but the flames destroyed food supplies, household belongings, and other valuables. Security forces and firefighters worked together to contain the blazes, while police patrols were deployed to prevent looting.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fires and assessing the extent of the damage.
- Nigerian Navy Officer Abducted in Abuja, Rescued in Nasarawa
A Nigerian Navy officer, Lt. Cynthia Akor, was kidnapped Friday night along with two others in Mpape, a suburb of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. The abduction happened near Mamman Vatsa Estate gate, and the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦500 million ($327,000) for Akor and ₦200 million ($131,000) each for the civilians.
A joint task force, including the military, police anti-kidnapping unit, and intelligence operatives, launched a search-and-rescue mission, Daily Trust reported. They raided settlements in Nasarawa State, a neighboring state, early Sunday morning and successfully rescued the victims.
Four suspects were arrested, and authorities recovered ₦3.5 million ($2,300), believed to be proceeds from previous kidnappings. Officials say security has been reinforced in Mpape to prevent future incidents.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Isyaku Sharu told reporters that the victims are In a stable condition and receiving medical care.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
