Gallant Nigerian troops have again raised the tempo of crackdown on criminals in the country with swift arrest of five persons suspected to be collaborating with bandits, kidnappers and insurgents.
The troops tracked about N19.5 million on them in Katsina on November17, 2022 while conducting a stop and search operation during which they also recovered a vehicle and five mobile phones from the suspects.
Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Musa Danmadami, made this known on Thursday in Abuja at his regular bi-weekly briefing of defence correspondents on operations of the military across the country.
He said the troops on November 20, 2022 also neutralized three bandits at Yambuki village in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara while others fled with gunshot wounds.
Maj Gen. Danmadami said the troops recovered 91 link rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 30 rounds of 7.62mm special, 2 AK 47 rifles and three motorcycles, adding that they arrested a suspected gun runner with 269 rounds of 7.62mm special in his possession who left Zaria for Damari village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara.
“Consequently, between Nov. 17 and Nov. 30, troops recovered eight AK 47 rifles, 332 rounds of 7.62mm special, 91 link rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, and five dane guns. Troops equally neutralised 11 bandits, arrested 10 and rescued 9 civilians during the period”, he said.
The defence media operations spokesman said the air component on November 18 carried out strikes on the enclave of notorious terrorist leader and gun runner, Malam Illa at Manawa village in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara.
“Following the air strike on the location, it was confirmed that seven terrorists were neutralized while Mallam Illa and some terrorists narrowly escaped with critical injuries,” he said.
About the North Central, Danmadami said troops of OPERATION SAFE HAVEN, on November 28, arrested a suspected gun runner with five locally fabricated AK47 rifles concealed in a bag at Gidan Ado in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau.
He further disclosed that troops of Operation Whirl Stroke arrested five suspected criminals while on fighting patrols to Kwazaye, Shelena and Ukande villages in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue.
According to him, the arrested criminals were found to be foot soldiers of a notorious bandit leader, Iorkoso Tyopaha, operating within Kaamen village.
“Also, four suspected bandits informant were arrested at Sankara Junction in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue. Equally on Nov. 23, military troops in conjunction with Nigerian Police personnel arrested a suspected criminal at Apo Mechanic Village in Abuja Municipal Area Council in possession of one AK 47 rifle and a pistol concealed in a bag inside his vehicle.
“Also, troops in conjunction with other security agencies conducted joint raid operation at Guzape, Apo and Area 1 District in Abuja Municipal Area Council”, he said, saying that the raid resulted in the arrest of 21 suspected criminals while over 200 motorcycles were recovered and destroyed during the operation.
Maj Gen. Danmadami who maintained that troops had within the weeks in focus rescued nine civilians, neutralised three criminals and apprehended 54 criminals, further disclosed that terrorists’ training camps were destroyed. He announced with pleasure that other operations yielded significant positive results.
He confirmed that an identified terrorists’ training camps at Tumbun Hamma in the Lake Chad Region has been destroyed, maintaining that some training camps created by Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP’s were severely hit in a series of airstrikes on November 27, ,2022 after a major reconnaissance operation.
“Intelligence revealed that about 24 Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists were undergoing weapon handling and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) training at the location for 6 consecutive days”.
‘’Consequently, an air interdiction operation was carried out which disrupted their activities’’, he disclosed, noting that following the strikes, reports revealed that several of the terrorists were eliminated on the shores of Lake Chad while 3 gun trucks hidden under the trees were equally destroyed”.
The Defence Headquarters also said that troops operations were yielding significant positive results including elimination of several terrorists and the restoration of normalcy in some enclaves that were hitherto occupied by terrorists.
Major General Danmadami said that not less than 332 Boko Haram/ Islamic State of West Africa Province ISWAP’s terrorists surrendered to gallant Nigerian troops at various theatres of operations in the country in the last two weeks
He said that 139 Boko Haram Terrorist/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists and members of their families comprising of 27 adult males, 44 adult females and 68 children surrendered to troops at different locations in the North East Zone of the country.
Other items recovered from the terrorists included 51 jerry cans of groundnut oil, 1 cartons of klin detergent, 50 packs of energy drinks, 9 bicycles, 3 motorcycles, 10 mobile phones, 1 vehicle and a sum of One Hundred Thousand, Five Hundred and ten Naira (N100, 510.00).
