Suspected armed bandits killed at least five soldiers in an ambush on their vehicle at Wanzamai community in Tsafe local government area of Zamfara State.
Wanzamai community is located just 60 km south of Gusau, the state capital, and had suffered a series of attacks by the bandits in the past.
The state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara, confirmed the attack in an interview with BBC Hausa Service but did not give the casualty figures.
The report said soldiers were responding to a distress call when the criminals opened fire on their vehicles.
The armed men reportedly made away with the rifles of the slain soldiers.
Locals said vehicular movements were disrupted along the 100 km Gusau – Funtua road for some time.
In September, the state government authorized the disruption of telecommunication services in the state as part of the stringent measures to curb the menace of banditry and kidnapping plaguing the state.
But telecommunication services have been restored in Gusau, the state capital.
“At this moment, l cannot say how many students were taken away by the gunmen until l get there, but we have already mobilized security men and members of the vigilanttè who are now in pursuit of the abductors,” the commissioner stated.
