A Nigerian Army officer and a police officer were killed after troops repelled an early morning terrorist attack on a military base in north-western Zamfara State, officials confirmed on Sunday.
The attack occurred at around 1:40 a.m. local time on Saturday when heavily armed militants attempted to breach a Forward Operating Base in Kasuwan Daji, Kaura Namoda Local Government Area.
Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba said troops belonging to Operation FANSAN YAMMA detected the movement in the dark and engaged the attackers in a heavy firefight, forcing them to retreat.
Pursuing troops subsequently rescued nine civilians who had been abducted by the fleeing militants from nearby communities.
Base defense and casualty reports
While the military described the operation as a major setback for the insurgent group, it confirmed casualties among joint security forces:
- Security Fatalities: One army officer and one police officer were killed in the firefight.
- Wounded Personnel: Two soldiers suffered gunshot wounds and were airlifted for medical treatment; both remain in stable condition.
- Rescued Civilians: Nine abducted locals were recovered safely during follow-up operations.
The military also dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that six security personnel had died in the assault, clarifying that only two operational fatalities were recorded.
North-western Nigeria has faced persistent security challenges driven by armed criminal groups—locally referred to as bandits—and extremist networks involved in mass kidnappings for ransom and raids on rural communities. Army officials stated that reinforcement operations are ongoing to clear remaining hostile elements from the area.
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