Several terrorists and some Nigerian Army personnel have been killed following an ambush by armed terrorists in Zamfara State.
The incident is said to have occurred on Sunday when the land troops were responding to distress calls from locals, following a terrorist attack on Malele community within Mutumji district of Maru Local Government Area.
Sources from the military who spoke under anonymity told Channels Television on Monday that the troops fought gallantly to repel the ambush, gun duel which they say led to the death of several terrorists and some men of the Nigerian Army.
Three gun-trucks belonging to the troops were also set ablaze by the terrorists
Residents say bandits from different camps in Zamfara, Katsina, Niger and Kaduna States converged to attack Malele, Ruwan Tofa, Zaman Lafiya and other neighboring communities under Dansadau Emirate because the communities refused to dialogue with the bandits.
Nuhu Dansadau, a resident of Dansadau revealed that as the resident got the information of the impending attacks, a distress call was put across to the security agencies who responded promptly.
Mr Dansadau said the joint security forces who came to the people’s aid, forced the terrorists to flee into the neighbouring Mutumji community.
He, however, noted that during the course of repelling the attack, an airstrike of the Nigerian Airforce targeted at the terrorists group around Mutumji area dropped at a location within the community, killing several residents.
As of the time of filing this report, the authorities were yet to make a formal statement regarding the attack.