In one of the deadliest military offensives this year, the Nigerian army has killed more than 150 members of an armed gang during a high-stakes ambush in Kebbi State, northwest Nigeria.
The operation marks a significant tactical success for security forces in a region long tormented by deadly violence and banditry.
The raid, launched on Wednesday, July 9, targeted a convoy of heavily armed criminals moving through several rural villages.
According to authorities, the ambush was meticulously planned and supported by aerial strikes. Fighter jets bombarded fleeing suspects, contributing to the large number of casualties. The firefight reportedly lasted nearly two hours.
“This action was necessary in light of the growing wave of attacks,” said Husaini Bena, administrator of Danko-Wasagu district.
“We had to act decisively to prevent further bloodshed and restore a sense of security to these communities.”
The State Director of Security, AbdulRahman Zagga, confirmed the scale of the confrontation, saying the army engaged an estimated 400 fighters.
While an official death toll has not yet been released, local officials have verified that more than 150 gang members were neutralized.
The ambush comes amid escalating violence across Nigeria’s northwest and central regions.
These areas have become flashpoints of criminal activity, with armed groups routinely pillaging villages, kidnapping civilians, and extorting ransoms. The state’s limited presence in these rural zones has allowed such groups to entrench themselves deeply.
Just days before the Kebbi operation, over 40 members of a vigilante group were killed in an attack on a village in Plateau State, highlighting the risks community defense forces face in the absence of strong state intervention.
While the military’s success in Kebbi has been hailed as a morale booster, security analysts warn that one-off victories are not enough.
Without consistent government presence and a broader strategy to dismantle the gangs’ networks, communities will continue to remain vulnerable.
For now, the residents of Kebbi State may find a momentary reprieve.
But across rural Nigeria, millions continue to live under the looming threat of violence, awaiting long-term solutions that go beyond firepower.
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