The Armed Forces of Nigeria on Tuesday said it would sustain its joint services operations against kidnappers and bandits in the north-western part of the country, despite ongoing peace negotiation between the Zamfara State government and bandits.
The spokesman of the Defence Headquarters, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, made this known while responding to questions during a press conference in Abuja on the activities of Operation Hadarin Daji and Operation Thunder Strike which began from 10 May to July 23, 2019.
He said the military and other security agencies are fully deployed to carry out its mandate in the operational area, even as the Zamfara State government has commenced negotiation with bandits to broker peace in the region.
Nwachukwu said erstwhile Operation Sharan Daji was reorganized by the Defence Headquarters from 10 May 2019, with the new term Operation Hadarin Daji to curtail armed banditry and kidnapping within Zamfara State, and its environs.
He said the new operation subsumed other earlier independent operations by Services and sister agencies, which presented a common front for joint operations by the Armed Forces, Nigerian Police, Department of State Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
He said troops of Operation Hadarin Daji within the period arrested fifty-four armed bandits from Moriki, Madada and Dumburum forests in Zamfara State.
He said they also rescued fifty kidnapped victims and killed seventy eight bandits at various enclaves in Zamfara and nearby states.
He said troops have recovered thirty-nine firearms which include sixteen AK 47 rifles, one Light Machine Gun, fourteen Dane guns; two pump-action rifles, three semi-automatic rifles, three pistols and 2,437 round of ammunition.
He further said over twenty-five suspected armed bandits have been arrested and fourteen motorcycles used by the bandits have been recovered.
Nwachukwu also said the Joint Task Force, Operation Thunder Strike securing the Abuja-Kaduna highway has also recorded some successes with several suspected kidnappers and bandits arrested.
He said the Operation identified a number of black spots along the Kaduna-Abuja highway such as Jere, Katare, Rijana, Kurmi-Karshi, Gidan-Mammam and Gidan-Guza where criminals unleash attacks on road users.
He said troops embarked on fighting patrols and arrested fourteen suspected kidnappers, while six bandits were neutralized.
He said troops recovered thirty-eight firearms comprising eleven AK47 rifles, one revolver pistol, 23 Dane guns, one semi-automatic rifle, and two locally made pistols.
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