The Nigerian military, supported by local vigilantes, have eliminated over 100 motorcycle-riding bandits in a fierce, over three-hour gun battle in the Warari Community of Rijau Local Government Area, Niger State.

The operation, which unfolded on Tuesday, was initiated based on credible intelligence from vigilant locals regarding routes frequently used by bandits for cattle rustling. 

This vital information allowed the troops to set up a well-executed ambush, leading to sustained and intense exchange of fire.

“This was the first time we witnessed such a direct confrontation where our troops clearly had the upper hand,” remarked one jubilant villager, among hundreds who poured out to commend the military.

 Eyewitnesses reported that the troops effectively utilized Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and other sophisticated weaponry, overwhelming the bandits.

Community leaders in Warari, who spoke on Tuesday morning, confirmed the scale of the bandits’ defeat. 

They reported that the corpses of the slain bandits were scattered across adjoining highways, farmlands, and the dense forest.

“As I am talking to you now, we have counted more than 90 bodies of the bandits in our farms and on the express roads,” stated one community leader, who requested anonymity for security reasons.

“More bodies are scattered in the forest which we could see from Warari hill. 

“Warari has remained their major escape and exit routes to Kontagora, Rijau and even Ilorin, leading to the southern part of the country.

“We urgently the authority to block this exit route for now to curtail their excesses,” the community leader urged.

PRNigeria reports that the decisive operation marks a crucial step in the on-going fight to restore peace and security to communities plagued by banditry, not only Niger State, but in North-Central Nigeria.