A violent attack by bandits along the Lilo-Gulubba Road in Gusau Local Government Area, Zamfara State, left five soldiers and ten civilians dead. The victims were traders traveling to the Gusau market.

According to witnesses, the incident took place on Monday while troops were escorting the traders from Lilo village in Mada District to the state capital.

The attackers, who were reportedly lying in wait, suddenly opened fire on the convoy, leading to a fierce firefight with the soldiers.

“One moment we were moving safely, and the next, the bandits struck from hiding. The soldiers fought bravely, but sadly, five of them and ten villagers lost their lives,” said a survivor who narrowly escaped by pretending to be dead.

The witness added that the bandits eventually fled after suffering significant losses during the clash.

Community representatives described the ambush as a serious blow to the area. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, September 10, they expressed concern over the attack.

Mohammed Mohammed, a spokesperson for the local communities, confirmed the deaths and pointed out that poor infrastructure, especially bad roads, makes residents more exposed to such attacks.

He urged the local, state, and federal governments to take immediate action by improving roads, providing essential services, and increasing security in the region.

Although the names of the fallen soldiers have not yet been released, the community honored them as “brave heroes” who sacrificed their lives to protect civilians.

Captain David Adewusi, the Army’s Media Information Officer, said he was not immediately aware of the ambush but promised to share more information after receiving a full report.