Hundreds of armed bandits invaded a military base in Alawa, Shiroro, Niger State, in the early hours of yesterday, killing five soldiers and a mobile policeman.
Seven villagers were also killed during the attack which lasted about two hours.
The entire military camp was razed down by the bandits who stormed the base at about 2:00 am when soldiers had just returned to the base from area patrol.
They stormed Allawa village riding on motorcycles and brandishing AK-47 rifles.
After the invasion of the military base, the bandits moved to the communities where they killed seven people and abducted a number of villagers on fire have allegedly killed seven persons, including five military officers in attacks on communities in Shiroro Local Government of Niger State.
They were also said to have abducted over ten persons, stolen seven motorcycles and burnt down military vehicles, among others, in attacks they unleashed last Wednesday and early morning of yesterday at 2 am that led the villagers confused and scampering for safety.
The communities include Allawa, Manta, Gurmana, Bassa and Kokki in Shiroro Council.
The bandits stormed the camp of the Joint Security Task Force comprised of the Army, police, civil defence and vigilantes at Allawa, and opened fire on them, killing five soldiers and one civil defence officer, while many sustained various degrees of injuries.
A popular businessman in Bassa village in the area, whose name was given as Alhaji Sule, was also killed on his farm by the armed men, who also made away with several motorcycles belonging to the villagers.
The bandits caught the security operatives unawares, with six soldiers and one mobile policeman felled by bullets, their weapons and camp set ablaze.
The Co-convener of the Concerned Shiroro Youth, Mr Abubakar Yussuf Koki, who spoke to newsmen, said Shiroro has become a war zone with bandits ransacking homes, killing and maiming innocent villagers.