Nigerian troops attached to the Joint Task Force, Operation MESA, have thwarted an attack by armed bandits in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, in a confrontation that left 19 suspects dead.
The 3 Brigade, Nigerian Army, which led the operation, said it acted on a tip-off about the movement of the assailants in Ungwan Tudu, Ungwan Tsamiya, and Goron Dutse.
In a statement on Monday, Capt. Babatunde Zubairu, the brigade’s Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, said troops engaged the bandits in a fierce exchange of fire, compelling them to retreat.
“The bandits, who stormed the area on motorcycles, suffered heavy casualties,” Zubairu said. “Nineteen were neutralised, while several motorcycles and mobile phones were recovered.”
He confirmed, however, that two soldiers and a member of a local vigilante group died in the confrontation.
Zubairu added that additional security operations were underway to prevent further attacks on rural settlements in the area.
The 3 Brigade Commander, Brigadier-General Ahmed Tukur, commended the troops for their bravery and assured residents that the Army remained committed to sustaining peace and security across Kano State.
He appealed to locals to assist security agencies with information that could help track criminal elements.
