An unknown number of security personnel and two civilians were killed Tuesday night after gunmen ambushed a military convoy responding to a distress call in the Giro Masa community of Kebbi State.
A violent ambush in the Giro Masa community of Shanga Local Government Area, Kebbi State, has resulted in the deaths of several military and police officers alongside at least two confirmed civilian casualties. The incident occurred on Tuesday night, March 24, 2026, when security forces were dispatched to intercept a group of gunmen reportedly operating near a construction company yard. Acting on a tip-off from local residents, the troops were moving to secure the area when they were caught in a sophisticated trap laid by the assailants, who were already positioned within the community and surrounding outskirts.
Eyewitness accounts describe a scene of intense carnage, with the attackers reportedly setting two military gun trucks ablaze during the firefight. The assault has triggered a wave of fear across Shanga LGA, a region that has faced sporadic attacks by armed groups targeting both state actors and local populations in recent years. While residents confirmed the deaths of two community members, the exact toll among the security ranks remains unclear, as surviving officers and witnesses reported significant casualties before the gunmen retreated into the nearby forests.
As of the time of reporting, neither the Nigerian Army nor the Kebbi State Police Command has issued a formal statement regarding the tactical failure or the specific number of personnel lost. A local resident who witnessed the onset of the chaos provided a harrowing account of the events: “The gunmen came into our village and were heading towards the construction company yard. We alerted security personnel, but they were ambushed. It was terrifying. People were running in all directions as the gunmen fired at the soldiers and set the trucks ablaze.”
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