Troops kill ISWAP Commanders, 30 other terrorists

Troops of the Nigerian military attached to Operation Hadin Kai in the Northeast have neutralised more terrorists’ commanders and over 30 members wreaking havocs on innocent citizens in the Lake Chad region of Borno State.

It was learnt that the air component of the operation rained airstrikes on the adversaries following the terrorists’ refusal to surrender their weapon and ammunition to the military after a series of appeal by the authority and community leaders.

No fewer than 50 tough and hardened terrorists’ commanders have been taken out by the military across all the theatres of operations, particularly in the Northwest and Northeast in the last one year.

The military high command last month declared high-profiled terrorists’ commanders including Simon Ekpa, the notorious leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, wanted over their nefarious activities.

Daily Trust reports that the senior terrorists’ commanders, who were killed during the operation that was carried out on Saturday, included Ali Dawud, Bakura Fallujah and Mallam Ari.

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The spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force, Edward Gabkwet, who confirmed this to journalists in Abuja, explained that terrorists’ numerous vehicles, motorcycles and logistical assets were destroyed.

Gabkwet, an Air Vice Marshal, said the air troops executed a precision airstrike on the hideouts of ISWAP terrorists nestled within Kolleram village along the shores of Lake Chad.

According to him, the operation yielded significant success as the Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) post-strike conducted revealed the neutralisation of over 30 terrorists apart from the commanders that were taken out.

“Intelligence gathered after the airstrike further indicated that the aerial bombardment effectively obliterated a key facility within the Kolleram enclave, which served as a hub for the terrorists’ food processing activities, including grinding machines.

“The success of these airstrikes underscores NAF’s commitment to eradicating terrorism and ensuring the safety and security of Nigerian citizens. By neutralising key terrorist figures and destroying their logistical infrastructure, the operation has significantly degraded the capabilities of the ISWAP group in the region.

“These airstrikes complement the ongoing efforts of ground forces in the Lake Chad flank and represent a crucial step forward in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria,” the senior military officer told newsmen.

Troops kill ISWAP Commanders, 30 other terrorists

BREAKING: PDP secretary shot dead in his residence [PHOTO]

Gunmen suspected to be terrorists have killed the secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Alhaji Musa Ille.

The deceased was said to have been shot dead by the terrorists in front of his residence in Tsafe on Monday.

“The late Musa Ille was one of our good and God fearing neighbors, he was killed him in front of his house,” a resident told SaharaReporters.

Zamfara is one of states in the Northern region plagued by criminals known as bandits who raid and loot villages, kill residents and burn houses to the ground.

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The gangs maintain camps in a huge forest straddling the state, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states, and have carried out mass kidnappings of students from schools in recent years.

Recently, another prominent PDP chieftain in Zamfara, Alhaji Shafiu Abubakar, along with two others were killed near Danbaza junction and Maradun town, the headquarters of Maradun local government area.

Abubakar was murdered while pursuing his ambition to contest the chairmanship seat of Maradun Local Government Area council in the upcoming local government elections.

BREAKING: PDP secretary shot dead in his residence [PHOTO]

22 Zamfara varsity students, staff members released after six months in captivity

Twenty-two abducted students and staff members of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, have finally been released after six months in captivity.

The victims, comprising 15 students and seven workers of the university, were abducted from the university in September 2023.

They were received on Monday April 15 in Abuja by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

The captives were released in three batches, with the last batch returning home on Sunday April 14.

Ribadu said the rescue operation was coordinated by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre.

He urged them not to allow their experience to break them, but should rather make them stronger.

He said, “On behalf of the President, I thank all those involved in the successful rescue of the victims without losing anyone of them or paying any ransom.

“This is yet again a success story in our efforts to free all those being unlawfully held in captivity.

“We have so far released over a thousand of such victims without noise and with complete respect to their privacy and safety.

“This occasion marks a final juncture in a series of rescues we have undertaken in the last few months, to free victims of recent cases of mass abductions.

“Going forward, we are strengthening law enforcement and security measures to prevent these abductions, and strengthen physical security across vulnerable communities.”

National Coordinator, NCTC, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, recalled that those rescued were abducted from the school on September 22, 2023, at about 0230hrs.

He said the bandits armed with various weapons attacked three off-campus students’ hostels at Sabon Gida in Gusau and kidnapped a number of female students alongside some male artisans.

Others, he said, were a private security guard and a protocol officer of the university.

He added that the bandits ransacked the hostels, and carted away foodstuffs, mobile phones, laptops, ATM cards, cash and other valuables.

According to him, the abductees were subsequently herded on motorcycles and foot to a location through a town in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara.

Laka said, “Search and rescue was conducted by a combined team of law enforcement agencies and the abductees were subsequently released in three batches, after 207 days in captivity.

“The first batch was rescued on March 15 while the second batch was rescued on April 12 and the last batch was rescued on April 14.

“All the abductees were profiled at the NCTC while the ONSA Medical Team examined them and administered minor treatments on the bruises sustained by 3 of the abductees.”