At least eight suspected bandits have been killed after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), reportedly planted to target security personnel, detonated along Lukope Road in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The incident, which occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 20, was disclosed by counter-insurgency and Lake Chad region security expert Zagazola Makama in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.
According to the report, the explosion took place along the Kurebe–Kushaka axis, a notorious route frequently used by armed groups operating within the dense forest belt of the area.
The IED was believed to have been planted by the bandits themselves in anticipation of advancing troops.
However, in a twist of events, members of the group reportedly triggered the device accidentally while moving through the corridor on motorcycles.
“The explosion occurred as the bandits were transiting the route, leading to the instant death of about eight of them and the injury of several others,” the source revealed.
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Further intelligence indicated that the affected individuals were loyalists of notorious bandit leader Dogo Gide and were said to be en route to the Lukope area before the fatal incident.
In response, troops under Operation Fansan Yamma, Sector 1, were swiftly deployed to the scene, where they intensified patrol operations to prevent further security breaches and maintain control of the area.
Despite the development, the incident has heightened anxiety among residents of Kushaka, Kurebe, Gbato, and surrounding communities, who now fear possible retaliatory attacks by other armed groups.
Local stakeholders have since called on security agencies to ramp up surveillance, reinforce troop presence, and take proactive steps to reassure residents and avert further escalation of violence in the region.