The Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Army have struck a major blow against banditry in Niger State, neutralizing over 50 armed men and rescuing kidnapped victims in a daring joint operation.

The incident which occurred on August 26 in Kumbashi village of Mariga Local Government Area, is being hailed as one of the most successful security interventions in recent times.

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulmalik Mohammed Sarkin-Daji, described the operation as ?a demonstration of superior intelligence, training and firepower,? while commending the operatives for their courage in the face of overwhelming odds.

Eyewitnesses told Zagazola Makama that about 300 bandits, armed with sophisticated weapons, attempted to invade Kumbashi at about 3 p.m. on Tuesday. The attack targeted a DSS service asset camp in the area.

However, security operatives swiftly repelled the assault after a fierce gun duel that left no fewer than 50 of the assailants dead. Several others reportedly fled with gunshot wounds.

?My constituents confirmed that the bandits, clearly shaken by the scale of their losses, were seen dismembering the corpses of their dead colleagues, loading them in sacks, and hauling them off on motorcycles,? Sarkin-Daji said.

The Speaker, who represents Mariga constituency in the Assembly, added that seven kidnapped victims were freed during the operation, while rustled cattle were also recovered from the criminals.

The development follows an earlier breakthrough by the DSS in Wawa, Niger State, where its operatives arrested alive Abubakar Abba, leader of Mahmuda, one of the most notorious terror groups in Nigeria.

For many locals, the latest operation offers renewed hope that security agencies are regaining the upper hand against banditry that has plagued the North-Central state.

Community sources in Kumbashi said that the success of the operation was particularly inspiring because the security operatives were outnumbered nearly six to one, yet held their ground.

?They stood firm when hundreds of bandits surrounded them. If not for their bravery, Kumbashi would have been wiped out,? a local resident said.

Sarkin-Daji, in his commendation, urged residents of the state to continue supporting security agencies with timely information to sustain the momentum against the criminal groups.

He also assured that the Assembly would continue to provide legislative backing to enhance security interventions in the state.

The Niger State operation adds to the growing list of successful joint missions by the DSS and the military, reflecting a wider strategy of intelligence-led warfare to dismantle terror and bandit networks across the country. (Zagazola, but headline rejigged)

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