No fewer than 70 vigilantes have been killed in deadly encounters with bandits during security missions aimed at flushing out the criminals from their hideouts.
The victims, drawn from various vigilante formations, were reportedly caught off guard during a coordinated operation targeting known bandit hideouts.
The vigilantes were heading toward a forest reserve known as Madam Forest, a vast, heavily wooded area long used as a base by criminal groups, when they came under sudden and heavy attack yesterday.
“They ambushed our men and opened fire with advanced weapons. We buried over 70 victims, and some bodies are still missing in the bush,” said Aliyu Baffa, head of the Kukawa vigilante group.
According to Baffa, the team was on a reconnaissance mission to identify and possibly dislodge the armed groups when they walked into the ambush.
He also expressed concern that the actual death toll could be higher, as several men remain unaccounted for.
In a separate coordinated attack, gunmen also stormed Bunyun village, where 10 additional vigilantes were killed while trying to repel an assault. Homes were set ablaze during the raid, and terrified residents fled into nearby bushes.
“It was terrifying,” said Musa Ibrahim, a resident of Bunyun. “The bandits attacked in large numbers, killed our defenders, and destroyed homes. We are still searching for survivors.”
The twin attacks have triggered widespread grief across the affected communities and raised fresh questions about the capacity of local security networks to withstand the growing threat posed by heavily armed gangs.
As of the time of this report, security agencies were said to be assessing the situation, though no official government statement had been released.
