Troops neutralize 100 recalcitrant bandits, 6 Key Commanders, recover arms

From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

Over one hundred unrepentant bandits including six top key commanders terrorizing peace in Zamfara and some parts of Katsina states were neutralized as many of them flushed out of their enclaves by the troops comprising Nigerian army, Airforce, DSS, Police and Navy from 16 December 2019 to 9th January 2020.
This was contained in a statement by the Acting Force Information Officer of the Operation Hadarin Daji, Cpt Ayobami Oni-Orisan and made available to newsmen in Gusau, the Zamfara state capital, saying, other great successes achieved in the joint operations were the recovery of number if sophisticated firearms and large number of rustled cows and sheep.
The statement further informed that, during the clearance operations, OPHD troops in collaboration with the Defence Forces of Niger Republic apprehended a high-profile gunrunner named “Kunene”, responsible for the inflow of arms, ammunition and other dangerous weapons to the region.
“So far, OPHD troops have flushed out bandits hibernating around Tashar Kuturu, Dankalgo, Gobirawa junction, Bagega, Kawaye, Duhuwa, Sabon-Birni, Dankurmi, Dangulbi, Hayin Bawa, Zango, Unguwar Shanu, Tundu Mali, Magazu, Mayanchi and Gando forest, in Anka, Talata Mafara, Tsafe, Maru and Bukkuyum Local Government areas of Zamfara state.
“Additionally, OPHD ground troops backed by the fighter jets of the Air Component also cleared Shinfida in Jibia local government area of Katsina state, neutralizing several bandits while large number of camps and hideouts were totally destroyed in the process.
“In addition, troops also apprehended 3 suspected bandits; Abubakar Kiri Koloma, Abubakar Ibrahim and Haruna Alhaji Yaro, and 2 notorious drug dealers; Kabiru Abubakar Isah and Hamisu Dan-kwanba at various locations in Zamfara state during the period” the statement added.
It further informed that, 10 kidnapped persons were successfully rescued during the deadly operations by the joint forces, and all the apprehended suspects have been profiled and had since handed over to relevant security agencies in Zamfara for further investigation and prosecution.
“Furthermore, troops recovered the following items, 500 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 23 Motorbikes, 15 AK 47 rifles, 4 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG),1 PKM Machine Gun,1 Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) bomb,1 Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) tube,11fully loaded magazines, 600 rustled cows, 300 rustled sheep”, the statement has noted.
An apprehended gunrunner suspect identified as “Kunene”.