‘Bandits’ attack military camp in Niger, burn vehicle

A military camp in Zazzaga community, Munya LGA of Niger state has been attacked by suspected bandits.

The incident is said to have occurred on Wednesday around 4am.

According to sources, the gunmen came in groups and started shooting sporadically as they invaded the community.

TheCable understands that the first group attacked the military camp located near a junior secondary school in the area, while a second group blocked the major road that leads to the community.

A third group was said to have surrounded the community, which prevented the youths and vigilantes from organising for reinforcement.

The suspected bandits, who reportedly engaged the soldiers in a gun battle, set a military vehicle ablaze, while the food store in the camp was burnt.

While no soldier had been confirmed to have died during the attack, one officer is said to be missing.

Efforts to get comments from the army and the Niger state police command were unsuccessful at the time of this report.

However, a police officer who preferred not to be named, confirmed the attack to TheCable, and described it as a “military affair”.

The incident comes weeks after gunmen stormed a joint task force base in Allawa and Basa communities in Shiroro, killing five soldiers and one mobile police officer.