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Nigerian Forces Kill 30 Gunmen in Northwest Clash
Nigerian security forces have killed at least 30 gunmen in a joint military and police operation following a wave of violent attacks in the country’s northwest, officials said Thursday.
The operation was launched on Wednesday in response to coordinated assaults by armed men on several villages the previous evening, according to a statement by Nasir Mua’zu, State Commissioner for Home Affairs. He confirmed that three police officers and two soldiers were killed during the counter-assault.
“We are working tirelessly with federal security agencies to ensure the safety of all citizens,” Mua’zu said.
Violence has surged across northwestern and north-central Nigeria in recent months, with armed gangs—often referred to as “bandits”—carrying out deadly raids and mass abductions for ransom. Hundreds have been killed, and many more injured or displaced as these groups exploit the region's limited security presence.
The gangs, primarily composed of former herders, frequently clash with settled farming communities. Dozens of such groups now operate with near impunity in the mineral-rich northwest, attacking rural communities and travelers along major routes.
In addition to banditry in the northwest, Nigeria is grappling with a long-running insurgency in the northeast. The United Nations estimates that more than 35,000 civilians have been killed and over 2 million displaced due to ongoing conflict in that region, reports UNB.