A fierce turf war has erupted between suspected members of the Lakurawa terror group and armed bandits in Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State, with many casualties feared on both sides.
Local sources report that the heavy gun battle broke out in the Tapkin Giyayya forest axis. The clash was reportedly triggered when a group of bandits migrated from their hideouts in Zamfara State, moving through Tudun Magaji into the Mashegu forest, an area increasingly claimed by the Lakurawa group.
An intense shootout ensued as the rival groups fought for control of the territory.
According to residents, several fighters from both sides were killed in the encounter, while wounded survivors were seen fleeing deeper into the forest.
“The gun battle was intense,” a local source told security analyst Zagazola Makama. “Many of them were killed, and others fled with bullet wounds.”
The exact number of casualties could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report. As of press time, state security authorities had not issued an official statement regarding the incident.
The clash is the latest in a series of violent confrontations between rival armed groups vying for control of the vast forest reserves straddling Niger and Zamfara states, even as military operations continue in the region.
