Troops of the Nigerian Army have repelled an attack on a military camp in Sarkin Pawa, the headquarters of Munya local government areas of Niger state, killing scores of the bandits while several others escaped with bullets injuries.

Local sources said, the bandits came in large number, invaded the military camp at Sarkin Pawa at about 2:00am  on Monday but were repelled by soldiers who engage them in a fierce gun battle that lasted for more than two hours.

The lastest attack came barely three weeks after gunmen invaded a mining site at Agata Aboki, Erena In Shiroro local government area, killing 34 soldiers and eight mobile policemen.

Unlike the attack at Ajata Aboki where the army suffered heavy casualties, sources said, the soldiers did not suffered any casualty in the latest incident.

A source close to the community, confirmed an unspecified number of the bandits were successfully neutralized by the soldiers.

 “The bandits were ambushed by the soldiers because they got information that the bandits were coming.

“The bandits were more than hundred that came. They parked their motorcycles in a distance and then came on foot through the bush to attack the soldiers but the soldiers had already taken position, waiting for them.

“Because of their (bandits) number, the soldiers had to call for reinforcements from Minna and they arrived in less than 40 minutes and that was why they neutralized a number of the bandits”, the source said.

Although authorities are yet to issue a statement on the incident, but the spokesperson of Coalition of Shiroro Association, Salis M Sabo (Esq), who confirmed the attack, said the bandits came in their hundreds trying to dislodge the military base.

“The military engaged them in a gun duel which lasted for about 2 hours until the military called for reinforcement and successfully neutralized them.

“It took the military less than 30 minutes to arrive Sarkin Pawa from Minna in response to the distress call for reinforcement. 

“The energy and passion our security men displayed against terrorists was unprecedented and has restored hope in the mind of the people”, he said.