Troops bombard bandits camps, excited Zamfara residents rally

Scores of bandits have been eliminated in the Sububu Forest of Zamfara State after troops bombarded their arms and logistics base.
Excited about the development, hundreds of residents of Magami District in the Gusau LGA of the state have reportedly held a rally in appreciation of the military operations.
Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig-Gen Bernard Onyeuko, said the residents disclosed that “the rally was as a result of the locals being able to access their farmlands without harassment or attacks by bandits who hitherto made life unbearable for them.”
He said, “On 12 July 2021, based on credible and timely information on the massing up of bandits around Sububu Forest possibly in preparation for an attack, the Air Component of Op Hadarin Daji dispatched its NAF platforms and engaged the bandits in a precision bombardment.
“Several armed bandits, motorcycles, camps and other equipment were destroyed. This dealt a serious setback to their criminal activities in the area. The Air Component of the operation has continued to dominate the airspace with reconnaissance and in support of ground troops.
Onyeuko also said, “Land and Air operations were conducted simultaneously in other locations in Zamfara, Katsina, Niger and Kaduna states.
“These include ambush operations against armed bandits’ at Galadi village in Zamfara State as well as stop and search operations along with Isa – Shinkafi Road in Zamfara State; Sheme – Ruwan Godiya Road and Gurbin Baure, the border between Katsina and Zamfara State.
“Also, troops responded to the distress call of bandits’ attack at Sabon Garin Yankara, in which troops swiftly mobilized to the location and repelled the attack.
“Furthermore, troops conducted clearance and cordon and search operations at Chabi village under Marabu District in Maru LGA of Zamfara State as well as at Jarkuka Yangayya, Mazaya and Buku villages in Jibia LGA of Katsina State.
“Troops also within the period conducted rescue operations at Mararaba Maigora village in Katsina State and Dogon Hako village in Kaduna State.”
In the South West, Onyeuko said troops of Operation Awatse conducted operational engagements on anti-crude oil theft, anti-illegal refining and anti-smuggling operations as well as conducted clearance and stop and search operations in such areas as Tomaron Community at Corner Loss Axis in the Atlas Cove NNPC Terminal, Lagos State.
“During the operations, troops arrested some illegal oil bunkers and recovered large quantities of 50 litres jerry cans filled with the PMS siphoned from the NNPC pipeline.”
In the North East, troops of Operation Hadin Kai reportedly engaged some BHT criminal elements with superior firepower and subdued them at Daushe Village along Ngoshe – Ashigashiya Road as well as Yarchida and Wurrajabbe general areas.
Onyeuko said, “In the same vein troops repelled BHT/ISWAP attack on security operatives between Jakana and Auno and forced the terrorists to flee in disarray.
“During the encounters, scores of the terrorists were neutralised and large caches of arms and ammunition, including AK-47 rifles, RPG guns and bags of assorted rounds of ammunition as well as other equipment, gun trucks and vehicles were recovered.”
He, however, noted, “In the course of these operations, some of our troops paid the supreme price and some others sustained varying degrees of injuries.”