By Joy Odor | Kano
Troops of the 3 Brigade, Nigerian Army, under Operation MESA, have repelled a major bandit assault on Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, killing 19 assailants and forcing others to flee after a fierce gun battle on Saturday evening.
The operation, launched following credible intelligence of bandit movement around Ungwan Tudu, Ungwan Tsamiya, and Goron Dutse, saw the troops, supported by other security agencies, intercept and engage the marauding criminals as they attempted to storm the community.
According to a military statement signed by Captain Babatunde Zubairu, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 3 Brigade, the attackers, who arrived on motorcycles, were decisively overpowered in an intense exchange of fire.
“Our troops swiftly responded to the threat, engaged the bandits, and successfully neutralized 19 of them. Several motorcycles and two mobile phones were recovered from the fleeing criminals,” the statement confirmed.
Tragically, two gallant soldiers and one local vigilante lost their lives during the encounter, while additional operations continue across the general area to ensure no remnants of the criminal group regroup.
The troops’ intervention prevented what could have been a deadly attack on vulnerable farming communities that have suffered repeated incursions and cattle rustling in recent months.
Commander 3 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Tukur, commended the troops for their bravery and reaffirmed the Army’s unwavering commitment to defending citizens across Kano and the North-West region.
“We will not relent. Our operations will continue until every bandit and criminal threat is neutralized. Citizens should remain vigilant and report suspicious movements to security agencies,” he assured.
The successful pushback in Shanono underscores the Army’s renewed offensive posture in the North-West as it intensifies clearance operations to reclaim rural communities long held hostage by bandit networks.
