Troops
involved in ongoing military operations in the northwest, Nigeria code name
“Sharan Daji’ have killed 20 bandits while 21 suspects were arrested.
This was
disclosed on Wednesday by the acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier
General John Agim at a press conference on the activities of Operation SHARAN
DAJI being conducted by the combined forces of the military and other security
agencies.
General Agim
said, during the period in focus, troops also recovered 1,444 cows, 478 sheep,
11 camels, 14 donkeys, 56 rams and 293 goats.
He said the
newly reinvigorated OPSD now covered entire Zamfara State and some LGAs of the
contiguous States of Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi and Sokoto.
“Substantial
numbers of suspected bandits were neutralized and some have been apprehended
and they are undergoing interrogation and will soon be prosecuted. These
efforts have created enabling environment for the return of IDPs back to their
ancestral homes.
“Currently
the spate of attacks on innocent citizens, kidnappings, animal rustling, armed
robbery, imposition of levies and criminalities in some parts of OPSD AOR have
been drastically reduced.
“The OPSD
has been reinvigorated through the support from the Defence Headquarters to
perform maximally. Raid operations, robust patrols, ambushes and surveillance
in the past days have been intensified.
“The Air
Task Force (ATF) in support of this operation has also continued to strike at
the bandits as well as destroying their enclaves in the forests.
“The air
bombardment on bandits’ camps and hideout has kept them constantly on the run,
disorganized and incapable of launching coordinated attacks on communities like
before, and this will continue to be sustained.
“Joint
patrols were exploited to Sahiel forest and GidanJiya in Niger Republic where
bandits who escaped military onslaught from our troops in Zamfara State
hibernate to re-arm or plan their nefarious activities.
“These
patrols have so far yielded significant successes as a lot of criminals have
been intercepted and illicit arms recovered.
“These
included 24 AK47 Riffles,2 pump action guns, 1 double barrel gun, 40magazines
with quantity 1,798 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 1 locally made pistol, 8
locally made guns and 2 cartridges.
“Others were
7Dane guns, 1FN Bayonet, 7 axes, 2 bows and arrows, 1 handcuff, 30 machetes and
6 short knives.” He said.
General Agim
also said during those encounters, one soldier paid the supreme price while 6
others wounded.
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