Nine soldiers fleeing bandits attack in Sokoto State have been rescued by Niger Republic troops.

The soldiers were among the security operatives ambushed by bandits terrorising the Sabon Birnin area of Sokoto East.

On Sunday, a group of armed bandits attacked the Burkusuma Camp, a military base in Gatawa, killing about 15 soldiers.

According to TVC, the attack was led by Kachalla Turji, a notorious bandits kingpin. Turji had fled his hideout in Fakai, Zamfara State, relocating to the Tozai area of Sokoto east due to the ongoing military operations.

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On September 13, a group of bandits loyal to Turji had killed 12 security personnel comprising nine naval ratings, two policemen and a soldier during a raid on the military base in Mutumji, near Dansadau town in Zamfara.

FIJ learned from military sources in the state that the bandits took advantage of the lack of security communication gadgets to lay siege on troops at the Mutumji base. The bandits have now fled to Sokoto village neighboring the Niger Republic to bypass the telecommunication blockade.

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Although Abubakar, the Sokoto police spokesperson could not give details of the attack, Idris Danchadi, a community leader in Sabon Birni, said several soldiers were still missing after the attack.

Danchadi noted some military vehicles had been sent to evacuate the corpses of soldiers killed during the raid.