ANKA — Notorious terrorists in Zamfara State have released a propaganda video showing the burning of a Nigerian military Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) that was forced to a halt by a landmine earlier this week.
The footage, which went viral on Friday morning, shows several gunmen swarming the vehicle. Military sources have since clarified that the APC was not “captured” in a gun battle. Instead, the vehicle hit an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) last Sunday during an operation in the Anka axis. After evacuating the troops and sensitive gear, the military left the disabled wreckage behind.
The Faces Behind the Fire
Security experts have identified the men in the video as fighters belonging to the Gwaska bandit faction. One individual, seen wearing green, is believed to be “Buba,” a high-ranking lieutenant under Gwaska.
Buba has been a subject of local discussion this week following reports that his pregnant wife and five of his bodyguards were accidentally blown up by one of their own IEDs while returning from a wedding in Rambo village just a few days ago.
Symbolic Victory vs. Technical Reality
While the insurgents are using the video to project strength, the reality on the ground depicts a “hit-and-run” strategy. Setting fire to a stranded, abandoned vehicle is being dismissed by security analysts as a desperate attempt at a symbolic win after the military’s recent airstrikes destroyed several IED manufacturing camps in the state.
As of Friday morning, the Defence Headquarters has not issued a fresh statement on the incident, but local sources say the military has intensified patrols around the Anka-Bukkuyum corridor to clear the remaining mines planted by Gwaska’s men.
