Troops in Nasarawa take 410 Darul Salam members in terrorist cell bust

Troops have bust a terrorist cell holding at least 410 members of the Darul Salam terrorist group in Nasarawa state, the military has said.

The troops of Operation Whirl Stroke recovered explosives, arms and ammunition in the bust on Tuesday.

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Coordinator, Defence Media Opeartions, Major General John Enenche, says the bust is in continuation of  “aggressive clearance operations” to rid the north central part of the country of armed banditry and other criminal activities.

The 410 members of Darul Salam, including women and children, surrendered to troops at Uttu in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on August 25.

The next day, troops on clearance patrol stormed a bomb making factory belonging to Darul Salam acting on intelligence.

The army said troops recovered several Improvised Explosive Device making materials at the location including two scales, six rocket launcher bombs, one bag of fertilizer, half a bag of gun powder, ten locally made hand grenades, one Rocket Propelled Grenade bomb fuse, one locally made Rocket Launcher, two Improvised Explosive Devices, 13 Improvised rocket bombs, amongst others.

It said the camp was subsequently destroyed while troops are combing the surrounding forests for fleeing members of the sect.