PHOTOS: Soldiers Kill 10 Bandits, Rescue Nine Kidnapped Victims

By Miracle Esegha, Warri

The troops of the Joint Task Force North West Operation Hadarin, on Wednesday, killed 10 terrorists and rescued nine kidnap victims, including women and babies during clearance operations in Katsina and Zamfara states.

According to a statement posted on the official X handle of the Nigerian Army on Thursday, this was recorded in the dry season clearance operations commanded by the General Officer Commanding 8 Division Nigerian Army, Major
General Godwin Mutkut.

The statement partly read, “On the 3rd January 2024, the combined troops of the OPHD conducted an offensive operation in identified terrorist enclaves at Batsari and Safana LGAs of Katsina state, neutralizing 10 of the terrorists while others fled with gunshot wounds.

“The troops also recovered one AK-47 Rifle, ammunition, seven Dane guns, three locally fabricated guns, and other dangerous weapons as well as communication gadgets, mobile phones and military uniforms while four motorcycles were recovered and destroyed in situ.”

The statement added that in a separate operation on the same day in Zamfara State, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji conducted a search and rescue operation at Dansadau and Dandalla villages in Maru LG of the state

It read, “During the operation, nine kidnapped victims were rescued which includes; five women and four babies.

“The victims were abandoned by the terrorists who fled after a gun duel with the resilient troops. The rescued victims were immediately reunited with their families at Magami.”

This is the first operation report released by the Nigerian Army in 2024.

In December 2023, it was reported that troops from the 1 Division Nigerian Army neutralised 14 insurgents and rescued kidnapped victims in its operations in Niger and Kaduna states.

In the same month, troops of the OPDH also rescued 13 kidnapped victims and arrested 11 suspected terrorist logistics suppliers in Zamfara State.