Security forces comprising the military and vigilantes have reportedly neutralised some bandits in Kundu village, along the Zungeru-Tegina road, in Rafi LGA of Niger State.
It was learnt that the operation, which took place on Wednesday morning, caused panic in the Zungeru Wednesday Market as residents fled their homes amid gunfire that lasted several hours.
Daily Trust gathered that the bandits were crossing in their large numbers from Kundu village to the Akare axis in Wushishi LGA when the military ambushed them.
A military officer, who requested anonymity, told our correspondent that, “Our soldiers were monitoring their movement because they had intelligence that they were moving on their usual route. So, our men laid ambush for them. As usual, they hardly abandon the bodies of their colleagues. But for sure, our soldiers recorded success against them.”
The Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Brigadier General Bello Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd), confirmed the incident, saying, “This success is a stepping stone for us to prepare more because terrorists hardly accept defeat.”
A resident said, “We heard gunshots for several hours. The bandits rode on about 40 motorcycles and were crossing the road around Kundu village. They had already stopped some cattle they intended to rustle when soldiers and vigilantes ambushed them. Thank God, the security operatives overpowered them, forcing them to retreat.”
Another resident, who preferred anonymity said, “We heard of their movement since Tuesday and our vigilantes were on alert. They were by the roadside when they saw them coming on Wednesday morning. Soldiers were alerted and ambushed them.
“Thank God soldiers were there; it would have been a different story because our vigilantes wouldn’t have been able to fight them due to their weapons and number.”
Meanwhile, troops of the Nigerian military attached to different theatres of operations have resolved to bombard various enclaves of terrorists disturbing the peace of Northeast, North West, North Central and other locations in the 36 states of the country.
The troops, according to the military high command, will specifically target the terrorists’ leaders, commanders, foot soldiers and their collaborators as well as informants making their nefarious activities thrive. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, who disclosed this to journalists at Defence Headquarters, Abuja during a press briefing on Thursday, also vowed that they would destroy their logistics, military and administrative capabilities.
Buba, a Major-General, explained that the development was in a bid to ensure that Nigerians sleep with their two eyes closed and move around freely while involved in their daily activities.
According to him, the military operations were going in an upward trajectory, saying many of the terrorists’ leaders, commanders, foot soldiers and informants had already been eliminated from the battlefield and they were after the others.
Buba noted that troops have continued to sustain momentum against the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and their armed Eastern Security Network (ESN) cohorts in the South East and that they would not relent until they are completely wiped out.
The military’s spokesman also the troops have continued and would not relent in battling perpetrators of crude oil thieves in the South South region as directed by the President, Bola Tinubu and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa.
He further disclosed that troops recovered 125 assorted weapons and 1,522 assorted ammunition such as 41 AK47 rifles, one PKT gun, 24 locally fabricated guns, 28 Dane guns, one pump action gun and 755 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo.
Other ammunition recovered, according to him included: 623 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 102 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 63 live cartridges, 247 empty cases of 7.62mm ammo, 22 AK47 magazines, one baofeng radio, 22 vehicles, 31 motorcycles, 2 bicycles, 10 mobile phones and the sum of N2,956,000.00 only among other items.
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