In a major success against banditry, Nigerian soldiers on Tuesday neutralised over 100 armed bandits during a coordinated air and ground offensive at Udara-Chifu village in Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State.
The bandits had attempted to raid the village, about 20km from Rijau town, to rustle cattle when troops swiftly responded to a distress call. The soldiers, recently deployed to the area after last week’s daylight attack on Rijau town, launched a counter-assault that trapped the attackers from all sides.
According to eyewitnesses, the operation lasted over four hours, with gunfire echoing across the area. “They came in large numbers, but none escaped. Soldiers blocked all routes and engaged them from both air and ground,” a local source said.
Over 100 bodies were reportedly seen scattered across the bush and nearby farms. Sophisticated weapons and motorcycles were also recovered from the scene.
Residents hailed the military action as a long-overdue reprieve. “These are the same bandits that terrorised Rijau last week. Today, justice has caught up with them,” another source added.
While no official statement has yet been issued by the Army or the state government, viral videos show jubilant villagers celebrating the troops.
Efforts to reach the local council chairman, Mallam Danladi Kombo Uganda, were unsuccessful as calls to his phone went unanswered.