In the early hours of Wednesday, suspected members of the Boko Haram terrorist group launched a violent assault on Bassa, a garrison town in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
According to local sources, the attack began around 5:30 a.m., with residents reporting sounds of sporadic gunfire echoing through the town.
The town of Bassa, which has endured repeated assaults from insurgents, was the site of a deadly attack earlier this year, where soldiers, including a high-ranking captain, were killed.
The security situation had forced the withdrawal of troops from the town. However, residents recently returned after the government deployed joint security forces to restore order and safeguard the area.
A source who spoke with newsmen said security forces advised residents to stay indoors while they engaged the assailants in a fierce gun battle.
The source, who had received a call from someone in Bassa, confirmed the clash between the security forces and the terrorists.
Bassa has been repeatedly targeted by Boko Haram militants believed to be operating from camps in the nearby Allawa forest reserve.
The town has also suffered from attacks by bandits crossing from Zamfara and Kaduna through the Kuyambana and Kamuku forest reserves.
These attacks have devastated the local population, with reports of killings, kidnappings, rapes, and other atrocities committed against the residents.
Local authorities are yet to provide further details on the current situation or any potential casualties from the latest attack.
