Nigerian troops kill 30 terrorists, nab 48 others

By Sumaila Ogbaje

Nigerian troops had in the last two weeks eliminated 30 terrorists and bandits and apprehended 48 others in various operations across the North-Central and Northwest parts of the country in the past two weeks.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Musa Danmadami, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the bi-weekly news conference on the operations of the armed forces.

In the North Central, Danmadami said troops of Operation Safe Haven and other operations conducted operational activities at different locations and villages in Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Niger States as well as FCT during the period.

He said the troops within the period, neutralised five terrorists, arrested 10 and rescued three abducted civilians.

In North West, Danmadami said the land and air component of Operation Hadarin Daji had sustained offensive operations on terrorists enclaves, camps and hideouts within Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Zamfara States.

He said the troops neutralised 25 terrorists, arrested 30 informants, six terrorists logistics suppliers, two gunrunners and rescued four kidnapped victims

He said the troops had between April 21 and April 25 engaged a fierce fire fight, neutralised 14 terrorists including a notorious terrorist kingpin.

He said that large cache of arms was recovered while two suspected bandits drug peddlers were apprehended at Wazata village in birni Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

He said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were notorious suppliers of ammunition and hard drugs to terrorists.

“Troops recovered 15 rounds of 7.62mm special, eight mobile phones, 105 wraps of substances suspected to be cannabis, 1,032 tablets of tramadol and the sum of N82,800.

“Similarly, on April 23, troops intercepted three terrorist logistics suppliers with one vehicle, and one canter truck loaded with 87 bags of rice at Gusami and Mada villages in Birin Magaji and Gusau Local Government Areas of Zamfara.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the bags of rice belong to a terrorist kingpin on the watch list of security agents,” he said.

(NAN)