Armed bandits on Tuesday allegedly killed no fewer than 20 vigilantes in an ambush in Kotonkoro village of Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
One soldier was reportedly killed and others kidnapped when bandits attacked a military base in the same area on Wednesday.
The Commandant of the vigilantes in the local government, Abu Hashimu, who confirmed the incidents said the late vigilantes were returning from a search operation, when they were ambushed.
Hashimu said 16 of his men were killed on the spot during the attack, while four others were shot dead while trying to escape from the bandits.
He said, “the slain vigilantes were returning from search operation when they were ambushed. 16 of them were killed on the spot while the bandits pursued 4 others who tried to escape and gun them down also”.
“The bodies of the slain vigilantes have been recovered and a joint security operation comprising of military and vigilantes has gone in search of the bandits.”
It was later gathered that the joint security team on Thursday entered the Dutse Magajiya forest in search of the bandits.