Troops kill 14 suspected bandits, rescue hostages in Niger, Kaduna clearance operations

Troops of 1 Division, Nigerian Army, have killed 14 suspected bandits and rescued kidnapped persons in Niger and Kaduna States.

The spokesman for the 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Musa Yahaya, confirmed the development in a statement posted on the Army X platform on Sunday.

He said the troops cleared the terrorists’ hideouts and recovered weapons in the operations.

The operations, according to the spokesman, were carried out between Thursday and Saturday.

Yahaya wrote: “On Saturday in Niger State, soldiers engaged insurgents at Madawaki village, killing two and forcing others to flee. They recovered AK-47 rifles, magazines, and a motorcycle.

“At the camp of slain insurgent leader Ali Kachalla, troops rescued 13 male kidnap victims taken in October. They also found a passport linked to a high-profile insurgent affiliate.

“Items recovered from the camp included an international passport suspected to belong to a high-profile affiliate of the insurgents.

READ ALSO: Troops kill mastermind of Zamfara students’ abduction, Ali Kachala

“Similar raids carried out in Kaduna State on Thursday and Friday resulted in the death of eight insurgents and recovery of caches of weapons, cash and vehicles.

“An ambush near Maro junction freed one abductee and led to three kidnappers killed. Early Saturday, another insurgent was neutralized in Kwanar Batero.

“Also, troops operating at the Kachia axis on December 21, 2023, in response to a kidnap incident successfully launched an ambush along Maro junction and made contact with the criminal kidnappers.

“In the firefight that ensued, troops neutralized three of the kidnappers with others escaping with gunshot wounds. Troops recovered the sum of N15,000, two mobile phones, one motorcycle, and two cutlasses, and also rescued an abducted person.

“The rescued victim, Mr. Rabiu Ahmed, 25, was rushed to a nearby military hospital. He was subsequently treated, and his dispossessed items returned to him and reunited with his family.”

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