A report from Sahara Reporters has claimed that eight soldiers were killed on Monday in an ambush in Kaduna State during an encounter with armed men described as “repentant bandits.”
A relative of one of the soldiers reportedly confirmed the incident in a WhatsApp message to SaharaReporters, stating that families are still waiting for formal notification from military authorities.
“Yes, I can confirm the killing of eight soldiers, including my brother, by the so-called ‘repentant’ bandits in Kaduna State,” the source was quoted as saying.
According to the report, the soldiers came into contact with the armed group while the bandits were allegedly moving toward communities along the Kaduna River axis between Chikun and Igabi local government areas. The area is located several kilometres from the Kaduna Train Bridge.
“The troops came into contact with the bandits and lost one officer and seven other soldiers during the encounter,” the source added.
The same source also alleged that the group involved had been linked to a previous attack on troops about a week earlier, where one soldier was killed and a senior commander sustained serious injuries and is currently receiving treatment.
The incident has renewed scrutiny of security approaches in Kaduna State, particularly programmes centred on negotiation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of individuals who previously took part in armed violence.
Nigeria’s ongoing use of amnesty and reintegration frameworks, including initiatives under federal and state-level security arrangements, remains divisive. Critics argue that the policies risk returning armed actors to communities without adequate accountability mechanisms, while supporters say they are aimed at reducing long-running cycles of violence.
Authorities have yet to publicly confirm the details of the reported incident at the time of filing this report.
