An Army Major, 11 soldiers and yet-to-be ascertained number of local vigilante members have been reportedly killed by suspected terrorists in Zungeru Wushshi local government area of Niger state.
Eight other soldiers were also injured during the gun duel that took place on Sunday.
The terrorists, who were about 70 and armed with refined weapons, reportedly ambushed the soldiers.
But the troop did not go down without stiff opposition as they eliminated over 30 of the insurgents.
Politics Nigeria gathered that the soldiers were ambushed while on their way to respond to a distress call in Akare community where the terrorists were said to have rustle cattle.
It was further gathered that the soldiers were given wrong information on the movement of the bandits, thereby leading to their ambush.
Bodies of the slain soldiers were deposited at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Zingeru, before they were evacuated on Monday morning to an unknown destination.
