25 Bandits Killed, 155 Nabbed as Troops Recover 1000 Livestock
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said that not less than 150 suspected bandits were arrested and their ammunition seized by troops of Operation of Operation Hadarin Daji in Zamfara State.
The troops, according to the DHQ, had conducted a well-coordinated intelligence based operation, on Sunday.
It was gathered that the operation led to the raid of an illegal mining site located along Gadan Zaima – Zuru Road in Bukuyyum LGA of the State, which also serves as bandits’ hideout.
Preliminary investigation revealed that aside from sabotaging the nation’s economy, banditry is being financed through these illegal mining activities, said Maj. Gen. John Enenche.
Enenche, who was speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, further disclosed that troops on fighting patrol encountered three bandits on motorcycles around Maigalma village in Anka LGA of the State, while attempting to attack innocent residents.
He said: “During the encounter, one of the bandits was neutralized while others escaped. Troops recovered one AK-47 Rifle, one AK-47 Rifle magazine loaded with 5 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and two motorcycles from the fleeing bandits. This is in addition to the neutralization of not fewer than 20 armed bandits within the month of August in Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto States.”
Gen. Enenche, Coordinator of the Defence Media Operations (DMO), added that between 19 – 20 August 2020, seven trucks loaded with cattle suspected to have been rustled were arrested along Jibia – Katsina road and Gusau – Zaria road, respectively.
He said the recovered cattle and suspects have been handed over to the Katsina State Police Command and Zamfara State Association of Rustled Animals for further necessary action.
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He also noted that, “Within the period under review, the Land Component of Operation LAFIYA DOLE conducted offensives to several Boko Haram/ISWAP enclaves in Borno and Yobe States. These cumulatively led to the neutralization of 17 members of the BHT/ISWAP elements and several of them escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds.
“Moreso, with superior firepower, the gallant troops repelled terrorists’ attacks on own troops’ locations and thwarted BHT/ISWAP attempts to interrupt the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons to their communities in Borno State, which was flagged-off by the Executive Governor of the State.”
The Coordinator of DMO, equally said troops of Operation Safe Haven arrested a total of 17 armed robbery and drug smuggling suspects during raid operations at various locations within Plateau State including Unguwar Mata, New Market General Area, Makera, Damakasuwa and Rukkaya communities, amongst others.
Hear him: “Since the activation of Operation SILENT HEAT, several arrests and deactivation of various militant camps have been made. Also, significantly, it was during the course of the operation that on 19 August 2020, Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH intercepted a speed boat with 13 foreigners made of 7 Russians and 6 Ukrainians alleged to have been kidnapped by pirates in Lome waters. The 13 kidnapped foreigners as well as 4 Nigerians on the speed boat have been handed over to Defence Intelligence Agency for further necessary action.
“In the course of other subsidiary Operations CALM WATERS II and Operation SWIFT RESPONSE on 16 August 2020, Nigerian Navy Ship VICTORY patrol team intercepted and arrested 7 men suspected to be smugglers at Agbana-West by the Nigerian-Cameroun maritime border.
“The suspects were arrested with a medium size wooden boat laden with 203 bags of foreign parboiled rice and 62 empty drums suspected to have been used to smuggle Petroleum, Oil and Lubricant products to Cameroun. Accordingly, the suspects, bags of smuggled parboiled rice and the medium-sized wooden boat were handed over to Operation BORDER DRILL for further investigation and prosecution in line with extant regulation.”
