The soldiers had entered Mazanya village, Jibia LGA, in
Katsina on Saturday at about 2:00pm to fetch water, when the incident occurred.

The large convoy, which was on “a routine cross-border
activity”, raised suspicion from community residents and vigilance groups.

The vigilantes, mistaking the uniformed Nigerien troops for
bandits, reportedly opened fire, triggering a brief exchange.

In a statement on Monday, Michael Onoja, the director of
defence media operations at the Defence Headquarters, said the Nigerian
security authorities and the Nigerien commander on the ground resolved the
misunderstanding.

He said the Nigerien troops were eventually allowed to
complete their water-fetching mission and return to their side of the border.

“The DHQ wishes to officially address and clarify the
circumstances surrounding the border incident involving Nigerian local
vigilante elements and Nigerien troops at Mazanya village in Jibia Local
Government Area of Katsina State on November 29, 2025, at approximately 1500
hours,” he said.

“This statement aims to correct misinformation, reassure the
public, and highlight ongoing efforts to strengthen cross-border coordination
with the Republic of Niger in order to prevent similar occurrences in the
future.

“A convoy consisting of four gun trucks and one Toyota Jeep
carrying Nigerien military officers and soldiers entered Mazanya community to
fetch water — a routine activity historically conducted by troops from the
Niger Republic.”

Onoja added that the DHQ convened a joint border security
meeting on December 1 to strengthen liaison arrangements between both
countries.

“Nigeria and Niger share long-standing cultural, economic,
and security ties, and both nations continue to collaborate closely in
addressing common challenges such as terrorism, smuggling, illegal migration,
and other transborder threats,” he said.

“The DHQ assures the public that lessons drawn from the
incident are being taken seriously and that concrete measures are already
underway to ensure such misunderstandings do not recur.

“Residents of Mazanya, Jibia LGA, and other border
communities are urg