Several bandits have been eliminated and many kidnapped victims rescued by the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in continuation of aggressive clearance under Operation Accord in Katsina and Zamfara states as revealed by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ).
This is coming days after the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari implored the Nigerian Army to “finish off” bandits wherever they are hiding in the state.
This was contained in a statement released by the Coordinator of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche on Sunday in Abuja.
Enenche said the troops, on June 26, foiled an attack at Mara Zamfarawa village in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing six bandits while several others escaped with gunshot wounds.
He said the troops also arrested suspected bandits’ informants and collaborators at Dunya village on June 27, following aggressive patrol and intelligence reports.
According to him, the suspects are being interrogated and profiled for further action.
Enenche said troops humiliated several bandits in a cordon-and-search operations at Mara Zamfarawa and Birchi Malamawa villages and recovered four motorcycles.
The media coordinator said troops on clearance operation at Maidabino town arrested six bandits, recovered one fabricated AK-47 rifle and 29 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition as well as cutlasses and charms.
The troops recorded successes in other operations on same day.
Masari told the Army to finish off bandits killing innocent residents of the state.
He said none of the killers should be left alive in the forests of the frontline local governments in the state.
The governor spoke during a condolence visit to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Faskari, Kadisau and Dandume local government areas of the state.
He said: “The bandits needed to be completely eliminated for peace to return to the land. The only language that the bandits understand is firing of AK-47. Therefore, they will be treated with the language they understand.”
The governor assured about 4,000 IDPs at Faskari Primary School and about 800 in Dandume that his administration would continue to give them food and medicaments throughout their stay in the camps.
Also, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, has said there is synergy among Armed Forces to defeat security threats in the land.
Abubakar spoke at the graduation ceremony of 182 Armed Forces officers, some paramilitary and other security agents who completed a six-month Junior Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) in Kaduna where he was the guest of honour.
He told the officers that the curriculum of the course they just completed was reviewed to enable them cope with the ever-changing nature of warfare, which include insurgency, terrorism and militancy.
The air chief said the graduation was coming at a time “when the political, economic, diplomatic, social and military lines are all working in synergy to achieve our strategic end-state, which is to “defeat the threats to our national security”.