Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The Nigerian Army yesterday said its troops of Operation Sahel Sanity have arrested six suspected bandits at Dan AJi forest in Yar Mallamai village of Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The operatives of the anti-banditry operation also massacred one notorious bandit at Dayau village in Kaura Namoda LGA of Zamfara State after a serious gun duel with the marauders who invaded the village.
The acting Director of Defence Media Operations, Brig. General Bernard Onyeuko, who stated this in a statement issued to journalists at the Special Army Super Camp IV Faskari, Katsina, said the miscreants were nabbed after an ambush by the troops.
Operation Sahel Sanity was launched by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Tukur Buratai, on July 6, 2020, to support Operation Hadarin Daji in tackling banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and incessant killings bedeviling the North-west zone
He said: “Following a reliable information about movement of unknown persons suspected to be bandits on six motorcycles at Dan Aji forest around Yar Mallamai in Kankara LGA in Katsina State, troops immediately mobilised and laid ambush in the area and consequently arrested the six suspects.”
The Defence acting spokesman added that the Nigerian soldiers apprehended two bandits and recovered two mobile phones, one knife and cannabis sativa at Yankara market and Angwan Boka in Faskari LGA of the state.
The suspects, Haruna Hassan, and Kabiru Abdullahi, according to Onyeuko, are members of a bandit group launching mayhem on communities in Faskari and other neighbouring local government areas of the state.
He, however, said the troops of Operation Sahel Sanity deployed in Dan Ali village, acting on credible intelligence, arrested nine suspected bandits collaborators at Sabon Garin Dan Ali in Danmusa LGA of the state.
Onyeuko explained that on September 19, 2020, troops deployed in Dandume, while acting on credible information, thwarted what he said could have been a massive attack on locals by bandits in the area.
He said: “The troops, which received timely information on the movement of the suspects with several motorcycles, swiftly mobilised to the area and engage the marauding criminals in a firefight. The superior firepower of the troops forced the suspects to withdraw in disarray with several of the bandits sustaining gunshot wounds as traces of blood were seen on their escape route during exploitation.”
