95 terrorists, bandits killed, 61 arrested after air, artillery bombardment, DHQ claims

No less than 95 terrorists and bandits have been eliminated while 61 were arrested by the Nigerian military in different theaters of operations in different parts of the North over the past two weeks.

This was disclosed by the Director of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj. Gen. Musa Damadami, at a press briefing held in Abuja on Thursday, to update the media on the activities of the military in the fight against insurgency in the country.

Damadani said the successful operations were conducted by combined troops of Operations Safe Haven, Hadarin Daji, Whirl Stroke, Restore Sanity, and Whirl Punch, as well as the air component of the Nigeria Air Force.

He said the “military high command’s combined air and artillery bombardment of criminal hideouts in the North-West and North-Central killed 95 bandits and terrorists in the last two weeks, while 61 others were arrested.:

“Within the period under review, troops neutralised seven suspected criminals, arrested 40 others and rescued 28 civilians.

“In the North-West, the land and air components of Operation Hadarin Daji sustained efforts to rid the joint operation area of terrorism.

“Notably, on 15 October, 2022, two notorious bandits responsible for a series of kidnapping and robbery incidents as well as terrorist activities in Zamfara and parts of Katsina State in the past, named Kabiru Mania and Abubakar, and some foot soldiers surrendered to their own troops at Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

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“On October 18, 2022, troops raided a notorious bandit leader’s camp at Gando forest in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

:During the encounter, troops engaged the bandits in a fire-fight, forcing the bandits to flee due to the superior firepower.

“Consequently, during the operations, troops neutralised a total of 10 terrorists, arrested seven suspected terrorist collaborators, recovered two AK47 rifles, 10 rounds of 7.62mm special, six motorcycles and one radio, while 32 civilians were rescued.

“Similarly, the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji sustained its onslaught against terrorists in the North-West region.

“Accordingly, an air interdiction operation was carried out on a terrorist enclave, Maudi Maudi, at Tsora Hill in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State on 11 October 2022; feedback revealed that over 14 terrorists were neutralised in the air bombardment while others survived the strike with injuries.

“Equally, on 14 October, 2022, following intelligence of bandits’ plan to converge at the residence of a notorious bandits’ leader, Lawali Gudau, aka Dogo Damina, for a ceremony at Koli village, in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji equally conducted air bombardment at the terrorist leader enclave and neutralised over 30 terrorists as well as destroying their amoury in the strike.

“Another air strike led to the killing of a notorious terrorist kingpin known as Ali Dogo (aka Yellow) alongside 30 of his fighters while they were having a meeting at a building,” Gen. Damadani said.

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