A major, no fewer than 10 Soldiers and unspecified number of local vigilantes have been killed by gunmen in Zungeru in Wushshi Local Government Area in Niger state.

Eight others soldiers were seriously injured during the gun duel on Sunday with the bandits.

The Bandits were said to be numbering about 70 and fully armed with sophisticated weapons.

The soldiers were also said to have fought the gunmen to a standstill, eliminating over 30 of them, while several others sustained gunshots injuries and are currently hiding in the bush as the soldiers were said to have reinforced to lunch another offensive against them.

The soldiers, it was gathered were ambushed by the bandits while on their way to respond to a distress call from Akare community where the bandits had gone to rustle cattle.

The soldiers, it was further gathered, were given wrong information as to the movement of the bandits, hence they ran into ambush by the bandits.

According to a source close to the community, about 30 of bandits were killed in the encounter with their bodies left in the forest while those that were injured were ferried away by members of their gang to the bush.

It was further gathered that the bodies of the slain soldiers were deposited at the Federal Medical Centre Zingeru before they were evacuated Monday morning to unknown destination.

As a result of the incident civilians in Akere, Wushishi and neighboring communities have abandoned their homes and are now taking refuge in Zungeru town.

Efforts to get confirmation of the incident failed as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Security Tareek Abdulrahim did not pick several calls to him.

Sun