Six gunmen were killed by Nigerian troops following attempts to attack local communities in the country’s northwestern region, a military spokesman said in a statement on Wednesday.
The gunmen, believed by the military authorities to be bandits, had attempted to, among other things, rustle livestock of locals in the northern states of Katsina and Zamfara on July 13 and July 14 respectively, John Enenche, the military’s spokesman said.
The two attacks were thwarted by troops who earlier received credible intelligence, Enenche said.
He said the troops on Tuesday stormed the gunmen’s camp at Komani Hills within the Rukudawa general area of Zamfara, overwhelming the criminal gang with superior firepower and killing six of them while others fled with gunshot wounds.
The troops had earlier foiled an attack on Monday at the village of Kasele in Batsari local government area of Katsina, Enenche said.
In Katsina, the gunmen fled in disarray and abandoned the rustled livestock, he added.
There are multiple military operations ongoing in Nigeria’s northwest region which has been wracked by years of violence.
Banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities have recently become rampant in the northwest region. The military high command said they are in control of the situation with ongoing multiple operations against the gunmen.
