The Nigerian army troops of Operation Sahel Sanity in the northwest region say it neutralized a total of 220 bandits between July and December 2020.
Similarly, a total of 335 suspected bandits, 326 illegal miners, 147 bandits informants and collaborators, 14 bandits’ arms suppliers, 24 rustled cattle marketers and 46 bandits logistics suppliers were also arrested.
The acting director, Defense Media Operations, Brigadier General Bernard Onyeuko, who stated this while giving the end of the year 2020 Operations scorecard said, “with the tremendous successes recorded by the troops, end to banditry and other crimes, may soon be in sight”
The acting director, Defense Media Operations, Brigadier General Bernard Onyeuko represented by the Nigerian army Operations Media coordinator, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, also revealed that during the period under review, 197 bandits’ camps and hideouts, including the notorious Dangote Triangle and several bandits’ logistics bases were destroyed.
He added that the gallant troops successfully foiled 165 bandits’ attacks and 81 kidnap attempts, and rescued a total of 642 kidnapped victims, including the 344 students of Government Science Secondary School Kankara.
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Additionally, according to Onyeuko, 73 AK 47 Rifles, one GPMG, and 194 ane guns were captured from the criminals, while a total of 5,032 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, 568 rounds of 7.62 mm North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, ammunition and 156 live cartridges were also captured by the troops.
While hailing the doggedness of the troops for their zeal and professionalism, Onyeuko however stated that the Nigerian army lost 2 Officers and 4 brave soldiers in the cause of defending the dignity of the people.
He assured Nigerians and especially the people in the Northwest, and parts of the northcentral regions, of peace and stability, vowing to continue to be ruthless against the bandits, as he calls for more cooperation from the people, to win the war.
(Editor:Abaje Usekwe)
