Special Forces Deployments Needed: Expert
By Segun Onibiyo
Zamfara, Nigeria – “We heard a thunderous blast and then gunfire soldiers were falling all around,” said Musa Ibrahim, a resident of Bangi village in Niger State. “It lasted nearly ten minutes before everything went quiet.” The harrowing account was narrated to a TruthNigeria reporter in a telephone interview.
The surprise dawn raid took place on June 24 near Bangi, a rural town about 130 kilometers northeast of Kontagora, in Mariga Local Government Area, Niger State, north-central Nigeria.
According to a TruthNigeria report, Niger State bordering Kaduna, Zamfara, and Kebbi States has become one of the most volatile parts of Nigeria’s so-called “bandit corridor,” with communities routinely under siege from well-armed militias.
Attack on Military Camp: Bangi, Niger State
In the early morning hours of June 24, more than 300 bandit-terrorists stormed a forward operating base near Bangi, a remote area less than 40 kilometers from Zamfara State. According to military sources, at least 17 soldiers were killed and 10 others wounded, with survivors airlifted to a military hospital in Minna.
Lt Colonel Apolonia Anele, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, stated that “troops and air components engaged the insurgents in a firefight lasting three hours,” during which multiple bandits were reportedly neutralized in the Kwanar Dutse Forest, a sprawling shrubland used as a hideout by militants.
Coordinated Assault Across Three States
Military sources told TruthNigeria that the Bangi assault was part of a coordinated, multi-front operation. Bandits simultaneously launched attacks on:
· Kwanar Dutse (Mariga LGA, Niger State)
· Boka, a community near the Niger-Kaduna border
· Angwan Turai (Chikun LGA, Kaduna State)
“These were not isolated incidents,” a senior officer from 1 Division Nigerian Army said anonymously. “They struck all three camps at nearly the same time around 4:30 am clearly communicating and timing their moves. The motive was clear: finish off everyone.”
Air support was scrambled from Kaduna Air Base, but troops on the ground faced heavy gunfire from the militants entrenched in forest hideouts near Boka and Kwanar Dutse.
Civilians Massacred in Tofa, Zamfara State
On Sunday, June 22, more than 15 civilians were reportedly killed in Tofa village, located in Magami District, Gusau LGA, Zamfara State. Tofa lies roughly 70 kilometers southwest of Gusau, the state capital.
Eyewitnesses said dozens of militants arrived on motorcycles, opening fire indiscriminately. Most villagers fled into nearby forests and farms. “They asked us for levies, and when we couldn’t pay, they started shooting,” said Ismaila Tukur, a local farmer who lost two relatives in the attack.
Eyewitness Accounts
Musa Ibrahim, Bangi resident, told TruthNigeria in Hausa, “They came before daybreak, riding motorcycles. I counted over 100 bikes, two on each, all with weapons. I saw soldiers fall near the camp gate. We couldn’t bury the dead until the next day.”
Ismaila Tukur, from Tofa, said, “The Bello Turji terrorist group had earlier warned they would attack us. They killed indiscriminately women, children, even the sick. They said it was punishment for not paying protection fees.”
Expert Reactions
Dr. Amina Yusuf, security analyst at Abuja Security Institute, wrote via text message, “This was a coordinated, multi-front attack spanning over 150 kilometers. It indicates a higher level of organization and intelligence-sharing among bandit networks.”
Colonel (Ret.) Michael Adeyemi, former army intelligence officer, added, “We’re not looking at common criminals. These are asymmetric warfare tactics, possibly linked to jihadist spillovers from Burkina Faso and Niger.”
Dr. Ebere Chukwu, strategy director at the West Africa Defense Forum, told TruthNigeria, “The military’s focus remains on urban areas and VIP protection. Remote bases like Bangi and Boka are soft targets due to low troop numbers and lack of reliable communications.”
Nigeria’s Military: Strong on Paper, Thin on the Ground
According to Global Firepower, Nigeria ranks 31st in the world and 3rd in Africa, with more than 230,000 active personnel.
However, a TruthNigeria investigation finds that fewer than 1,800 troops are deployed across Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara States an area larger than Portugal. Analysts say poor logistics, outdated vehicles, and minimal aerial surveillance leave these troops vulnerable.
Government Reactions
Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, described the attack as “a military catastrophe” and demanded urgent reinforcements in Mariga and Rijau LGAs.
The Nigerian Army, led by Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa and Army Chief Lt. General Oluwafemi Oluyede, promised a full strategic review. “We mourn the fallen but will not retreat,” Oluyede said.
Aftermath and Displacement
Thousands of residents have now fled from Bangi, Tofa, and surrounding towns, seeking shelter in school buildings and mosques across Kontagora, Mariga, and Gusau. Local relief efforts are severely overstretched.
Expert Warnings
Dr. Amina Yusuf warned, “If forward bases like Bangi continue to fall, we risk opening up central Nigeria to a second insurgency front.”
Colonel Adeyemi concluded, “We need special forces deployments not garrison-style infantry camps. Otherwise, we’ll keep losing men and territory.”
Dr. Chukwu added, “Until the government treats rural insecurity with the same urgency as oil theft or political violence, these bloodbaths will continue.”
Retired Col. Samuel Aluga (Ret.) emphasized to TruthNigeria: “The death of soldiers in Bangi and the massacre in Tofa point to a worsening collapse. If the military doesn’t shift its rural strategy immediately, more Nigerian lives both military and civilian will be lost in a war the nation refuses to name.”
Segun Onibiyo reports on terrorism and conflict for TruthNigeria.
