The Defence Headquarters says the military has sustained onslaught against terrorists, bandits and other criminals, killing scores in massive operations across the theatres of operation in the last two weeks.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, stated this while giving updates on military operations across the country on Thursday in Abuja.
Enenche also disclosed that a number of victims were rescued and reunited with their families during the period under review.
He said there had been downward trend in the activities of bandits and cattle rustlers in the northwest in the last two weeks.
According to him, troops of Operation Sahel Sanity on Sept. 27 arrested four suspected armed bandits along Sheme-Kankara Road in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.
He added that the troops also eliminated four bandits and rescued four victims from Giruwa village of Dandume Local Government Area of Katsina State.
He said that this was achieved following artillery bombardments on bandits’ location at Unguwan-Doka village on Oct. 2.
According to him, preliminary investigation revealed that the kidnapped victims have been in captivity for 12 days and all rescued victims have been re-united with their families.
“On Oct 3, troops while conducting a Stop and Search operation arrested three suspected kidnappers in Musawa Local Government Area of Katsina State.
“Items recovered from the suspects include one locally made gun, 3 mobile phones and one motorcycle.
“Also, troops of Operation ACCORD on Sept. 28 during a raid operation neutralised two armed bandits and arrested three others at Dajin Kajuru village in Kajuru Local Government of Kaduna State.
“The gallant troops also recovered two magazines, 36 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) and two motorcycles.
“In the same vein, troops of Operation THUNDER STRIKE deployed at Rijana on Oct. 4 neutralised two armed bandits along Kaduna-Abuja expressway and recovered two locally made guns,” he said.
In the North East zone, Enenche said the military had continued to successfully sustain the tempo in the fight against terrorism.
He disclosed that troops, had on Oct. 1, thwarted Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists’ attack at Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno, killing three of their fighters and recovered arms and ammunition.
He added that the troops in conjunction with Civilian JTF also repelled an attack at Miringa Village in Biu Local Government Area of Borno.
Enenche asaid that the troops also neutralised one terrorist, arrested another, while several others escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds.
He said that troops arrested a Nigerien BHT/ISWAP arms and logistics supplier close to an IDP Camp in Diffa Region of Niger Republic on Oct. 3.
He also disclosed that troops of 120 Battalion arrested one BHT/ISWAP element, Modu Bori at Mugtum Village in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State on Oct. 4.
According to him, scores of terrorists were also neutralised and several structures housing them and their logistics items were destroyed in air strikes in Borno.
In the North-Central zone, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, in conjunction with the Defence Intelligence Agency Tactical Surveillance team, conducted a dawn raid operation on a suspected armed bandits’ hideout at Maraban Udege in Nasarawa State during the period.
According to him, the operation led to the arrest of a notorious bandit, one “Adamu Abu”, with one locally made rifle and four rounds of ammunition.
In the south-south zone, Enenche said that troops of Operation Delta Safe, rescued five kidnapped foreigners comprised of three Russians, one Ukrainian and one Equatorial Guinean within the period.
He explained that they were rescued by a joint team from Nigerian Navy Ship PATHFINDER, Forward Operating Base Bonny and troops of 146 Battalion during the early hours of Oct. 6.
“The expatriates were abducted on May 9 on board MT RIO MITONG and MT DJIBLOHO by unknown militants group in Yellow Island,” he said.
