Troops of the Nigerian Army, working alongside local vigilantes, on Monday evening repelled a major bandit attack at Dare Biyu village, near Beri in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
Military sources said the joint force killed several of the assailants during the firefight, which broke out between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Two vigilante operatives, identified as Yusuf Dan Basi and Bello Shagari, lost their lives, while another, Naziru Lawal, sustained gunshot injuries and is receiving treatment at Beri Hospital.
According to accounts, the troops and vigilantes initially came under heavy fire after being encircled by reinforced bandit elements.
They fought back with “accurate fire,” evacuating casualties while shielding civilians from the crossfire.
“Despite the difficult terrain and enemy encirclement tactics, our troops were able to stabilize the situation, secure withdrawal routes for civilians, and prevent wider escalation,” a military source said.
The attackers, believed to be part of a network of bandit cells active in Mariga, Kontagora, Magama, Rijau, and Mashegu LGAs, reportedly reinforced their numbers with motorcycles and used rapid switch tactics to evade pursuit.
Security analysts have warned that the continued activities of such groups around Beri pose a growing threat to surrounding communities and transit routes.
They advised increased reinforcement along the Beri–Mariga–Kontagora corridor, establishment of mobile checkpoints, deployment of aerial reconnaissance, and offensive operations to dismantle identified bandit hideouts.