A Nigerian Army officer and six soldiers have been killed following an ambush by suspected terrorists during a patrol operation in the Rigachikun area of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The incident occurred on Monday evening as troops conducted operations aimed at sustaining recent gains against armed groups operating along the Kaduna-Zaria corridor and nearby communities.
Reports indicate that the soldiers were returning from a routine patrol after carrying out a series of successful clearance missions that reportedly neutralised several terrorist leaders and their associates when they came under attack from heavily armed assailants.
The ambush sparked a fierce exchange of gunfire, with the troops reportedly inflicting casualties on the attackers before losing one officer and six soldiers in the confrontation.
The attack is seen as a setback to ongoing military efforts in the area, where troops under the 1 Division Nigerian Army have recorded notable successes in recent weeks.
Security forces have intensified patrols, intelligence-driven raids, anti-kidnapping operations and clearance missions across communities along the Kaduna-Zaria Expressway and surrounding forests.
According to a security operative, the sustained operations have led to the elimination of notorious bandit leaders, the destruction of criminal camps, the rescue of abducted victims, the arrest of suspected gunrunners and a decline in attacks on residents and travellers.
