PHOTOS: Bandits attack, slaughter 20 soldiers in Niger

Over 20 soldiers were killed in the wee hours of Tuesday in a deadly ambush by heavily armed bandits on a military camp near Bangi, in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.

According to security sources, the attack which occurred around dawn on June 24, marks one of the deadliest assaults on Nigerian military personnel in recent months.

Diaspora Digital Media understand that the attackers stormed the camp in large numbers and overwhelmed the soldiers after a sustained gun battle.

Several other operatives were reportedly injured, though the extent of the injuries remains unclear.

The Nigerian Army is yet to issue an official statement in respect to the development.

Multiple security operatives familiar with the situation described it as a major blow to ongoing counter-banditry operations in the region.

The military has recently intensified efforts to curb the activities of criminal groups across Niger State, which has been repeatedly targeted by bandits in recent years.

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