The source said his brother was among the dead.
According to preliminary information the bandits were moving toward communities along the Kaduna River between Chikun and Igabi Local Government Areas. The location sits several kilometres from the Kaduna Train Bridge. Troops made contact with the armed group during that movement. One officer and seven soldiers were lost in the encounter.
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About a week earlier the same group of so called repentant bandits allegedly ambushed troops at a different spot in Kaduna State. One soldier was killed and a military commander sustained serious injuries. That commander is still receiving medical treatment.
The latest deaths have reignited sharp criticism of the government’s non kinetic approach to Insecurity in the region. Authorities continue to push dialogue reconciliation and rehabilitation programmes for bandits who claim to have surrendered. The strategy aims to restore peace but trust in it is wearing thin. Observers also note a decline in media reporting of banditry and security incidents across the state.
Nigeria’s policy of granting amnesty and reintegrating repentant bandits and terrorists through Operation Safe Corridor and state level programmes remains deeply unpopular. Many citizens view the pardoning and vocational training of former insurgents as a grave injustice. Providing starter kits and stipends to former fighters strikes critics as a slap in the face to victims displaced persons and the families of fallen soldiers.
Security experts warn that these programmes release hardened criminals back into the same communities they once terrorised. There are multiple reports of repentant individuals relapsing into violence or acting as informants for active insurgent networks. Frustration also persists because no prominent warlord or high level terrorist has been publicly prosecuted to serve as a deterrent. Civil rights groups and organisations like the Middle Belt Forum frequently fault state governments for celebrating pardons without accountability.
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