Army raids bandits as Boko Haram fighters, families surrender
Several suspected bandits have been arrested as Army troops continued clearance operations in Katsina and other Northwest states.
Bandits’ camps were destroyed in the operations while their abductees and rustled animals, among other things, were recovered, Acting Director of Defence Media Operations, Brigadier-General Bernard Onyeuko said in a statement yesterday.
Also, Defence Headquarters said 13 Boko Haram terrorists and 23 of their family members have surrendered to troops in Borno State.
The terrorists and their relatives consisting of six women and 17 children surrendered to troops of 151 Task Force Battalion in Bama Local Government Area of the state, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche said in a statement on Sunday.
Enenche said the terrorists surrendered under sustained aerial bombardment and clearance operation by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole.
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He said the suspects and their family members, who surrendered on Saturday, were receiving medical attention at a military medical facility.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies remain resolute, determined and committed to sustaining the tempo of the operations,” he said.
Brig.-Gen Onyeuko described the clearance operations as a fulfillment of the mandate handed down to the army to clear all criminal elements in the Northwest.
He said that the troops arrested two suspects Abdullahi Lawal and Bala Saidu in connection with selling rustled cattle.
Other suspects arrested were Abdullahi Musa, Amadu Saleh and Shaibu Ibrahim, the statement said, adding that six other suspected bandits were held with six motorcycles at Dan Aji forest around Yar Mallamai in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Troops destroyed several bandits’ camps in Daudawai village in Katsina and recovered two dane guns, one locally-made sword and three axes, it was said.
