Twenty people have been killed after gunmen ambushed a convoy of traders travelling under military escort in Zamfara State, while military retirees barricaded the entrance to the Military Pensions Board in Abuja over alleged irregularities in pension adjustments.
Zamfara Ambush
The attack occurred around 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 11, 2026, as traders were travelling from Gwashi to Nasarawa market in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
A resident, Musa Danladi, who helped retrieve the bodies, told Reuters that the convoy came under heavy gunfire from bandits. According to him, four soldiers, three police officers and one officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were among those killed, alongside 12 civilians.
A military source confirmed the incident, adding that 19 people were also wounded. Military and police authorities had not issued an official statement as of press time.
The incident adds to a surge in attacks by heavily armed gangs, known locally as bandits, who raid villages, abduct residents for ransom and rustle livestock in the northwest.
Separately, the military said an airstrike on October 10 in Badu village, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, killed more than 40 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a senior commander of its Murabitun mobile unit.
Military Retirees Protest In Abuja
In a separate development, hundreds of military veterans on Tuesday, October 13, barricaded the main entrance of the Military Pensions Board headquarters in Dutse Alhaji, Kubwa, Abuja.
The retirees arrived as early as 8 a.m., blocking the gates with plastic canopies and chairs, preventing staff and visitors from entering the premises. Armed soldiers were deployed to secure the inner perimeter.
The protesters are demanding a review of the consequential pension adjustment formula approved following salary increases for serving personnel.
Coordinator of the Military Veterans Association of Nigeria, retired Lieutenant Colonel Innocent Azubuike, accused the board of adopting a computation formula that allegedly short-changed retirees and created disparities among pensioners.
The Chairman of the Military Pensions Board, Air Vice Marshal Mikail Abdulraheem, met with the protesters and said the board would address complaints in accordance with the law.
