Gunmen killed nine Nigerian troops and injured several others in Kebbi State, security sources and local officials said on Wednesday.
Kebbi state, which shares a border with Benin and Niger, is among northwestern states where armed kidnapping gangs roam largely freely, overlapping with Islamist militants who are expanding their presence in the region.
Two army sources and a resident said the soldiers were on patrol near their base in Kebbi’s Shanga district when they were attacked by the gunmen late on Tuesday.
Kebbi state governor Nasir Idris confirmed the attack after visiting injured soldiers but did not provide a death toll.
Insecurity is the biggest issue confronting President Bola Tinubu’s government, around three years after taking office.
The Nigerian army did not immediately comment.
REUTERS
