17 soldiers killed as gunmen raid army bases in northern Nigeria

At least 17 Nigerian soldiers were killed in a series of coordinated attacks by armed gunmen on three army bases in northern Nigeria, security sources and local officials confirmed on Wednesday.

The attacks, which took place on Tuesday, targeted forward operating bases in Kwanar Dutse Mariga and Boka in Niger State, as well as another base in neighbouring Kaduna State. According to security officials, the gunmen engaged troops in prolonged firefights that lasted several hours.

“These were surprise attacks, and the soldiers fought back fiercely,” one of the security sources said. “Unfortunately, we lost 17 men in the battles.”

The assailants, commonly referred to as “bandits” in the region, are part of heavily armed criminal groups known for terrorizing northwestern Nigeria. They have been blamed for frequent abductions, attacks on villages, and assaults on security installations.

Local authorities say the gunmen arrived in large numbers and were well-coordinated, overwhelming military personnel at the remote posts.

Niger State and much of the northwest have suffered years of insecurity, with limited state presence and frequent attacks by both criminal gangs and Islamist militants. Efforts by the government to contain the violence have faced repeated setbacks, with troops often under-resourced and stretched thin across vast, difficult terrain.

The Nigerian army has yet to issue an official statement regarding the latest attacks.