00:00At least 70 Nigerian soldiers were killed in a series of coordinated attacks by armed gunmen in three army bases in northern Nigeria, security sources and local officials confirmed on Wednesday.
00:12The attack, which took place on Tuesday, targeted forward operating bases in Kona, Duche, Mariga and Baka in Niger State, as well as another base in neighboring Kaduna State.
00:23According to security officials, the gunmen engaged troops in prolonged firefight that lasted several hours.
00:31The assailants, commonly referred to as bandits in the region, are part of heavily armed criminal groups known for terrorizing northwestern Nigeria.
00:42They have been blamed for frequent abductions, attacks in villages and assault on security installations.
00:49Local authorities say the gunmen arrived in large numbers and were well coordinated, overwhelming military personnel at their remote posts.
00:59Niger State and much of the northwest have suffered years of insecurity with limited state presence and frequent attacks by both criminal gangs and Islamist militants.
01:09EURAF
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