Military Kills Four Bandits, Rescues Captives in Katsina

Military Kills Four Bandits, Rescues Captives in Katsina

Dislodges militant camps, frees three Russians, Ukranian, others

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Nigerian Army yesterday said that its troops of Operation Sahel Sanity have killed four bandits in Unguwar Doka village of Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, as part of its clearance operations to ward off bandits in the North-west region.

The troops also rescued four kidnapped victims at Giruwa village of Dandume Local Government Area of the state in their ongoing onslaughts against the marauding hoodlums terrorising the state.

Military authorities also said yesterday that the Nigerian Navy Ship, Pathfinder and troops of 146 Battalion rescued five expatriates kidnapped by sea pirates in Bonny, Rivers State.

It said the kidnap victims include; three Russians, one Ukrainian and another person from Equatorial Guinea.

The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.General Benard Onyeuko, revealed the Katsina operation in a statement issued to journalists at the Special Army Super Camp IV Faskari, Katsina State.

Onyeuko, in the statement, added that the troops smashed other notorious criminals in Kurfi Local Government Area of the state and recovered 43 cows, six goats, eight sheep and two locally made guns from the hoodlums.

He said: “On October 2, 2020, gallant troops of Operation Sahel Sanity deployed at Sabon Layi rescued four kidnapped victims from Giruwa village of Dandume LGA of Katsina State following Artillery bombardments on suspected bandits’ location at Unguwan-Doka village which resulted in neutralising four of the bandits while others escaped into the forest”.

He explained that preliminary investigation revealed that the four rescued kidnapped victims have been in captivity for 12 days, saying the victims have been reunited with their families.

He assured that the Nigerian Army would continue to safeguard the lives and properties of the citizenry, especially those in the North-west region and urged them to support the troops with relevant information to enable them succeed in their operations.

In a related development, military authorities said yesterday that the Nigerian Navy Ship, Pathfinder

and troops of 146 Battalion rescued five expatriates kidnapped by sea pirates in Bonny.

It said the kidnap victims include three Russians, one Ukrainian and another person from Equatorial Guinea.

A military statement said the expatriates who were onboard MT Rio Mitong and MT Djibloho, were kidnapped by unknown militant groups in Yellow Island.

Acting on credible intelligence, the military said, a joint team from Forward Operating Base Bonny, Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder and troops of 146 Battalion swiftly combed the creeks in search of the kidnapped victims.

“After a thorough search and rescue operation, the gallant troops raided four identified sea pirates/militants hideout at Ibiakafemo, Idinkiri, Tombie and Ogboma.

“The identified camps were subsequently destroyed to deny the pirates freedom of action. Consequently, on the early hours of 6 October 2020, the pirates/militants compelled by the ongoing operation surrendered to the gallant troops and handed over the five kidnapped foreign expatriates at Iwofe Waterfront”, it said.

The statement signed by the Coordinator of the Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Major General John Enenche, said the “five expatriates comprising three Russians, one Ukranian and one Equatorial Guinean are presently at NNS Pathfinder Medical Centre receiving medical attention”.

Meanwhile, the joint team intercepted two large wooden boats laden with an estimated 350,000 litres of suspected stolen illegally refined diesel and about 10,000 litres of stolen crude oil.

The statement, however, affirmed that the stolen petroleum products were recovered and moved to the base.

Related Articles