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Over Eighty Two Zamfara terrorists suffered heavy casualties, many neutralized while other sustained various degree of injuries after the Air Component of Operation HADARIN DAJI carried out air interdiction on 22 June 2022 engaged the terrorists with heavy bombardment which destroyed the terrorists concentration camp.
Director, Defence Media Operations Major General Benard Onyeuko made this known during the bi-weekly media briefing on Thursday at the Defence Headquarters Abuja on operational activities of troops working assiduously to ensure the safety of lives and property of Nigerians.
He said, the airstrikes composed by the Nigerian troops was successfully carried out after sighting over One Hundred and Fifty (150) terrorists converged under a thick vegetation planning to attack Kofar Danya Village in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
He said, after the encounter troops were able to rescue the six (6) kidnapped civilians and neutralised 2 bandits in the process. Similarly on 21 June 2022, troops made contacts with marauding terrorists at Maigora in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State and neutralized 2 terrorists in the process.
Major General Benard Onyeuko also revealed that, in North Central Troops of WHIRL STROKE while on patrol at Udei general area in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State arrested 7 persons on board of a trailer with registration number ABUJA KWL 846 XB along Udei-Makurdi Lafia road fully loaded with cut to size vandalized rail tracks and sleepers.
He added that, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE arrested one Mr Ardo Manu Abdulrahman Marenewo a suspected gun runner who specialized in leasing of arms to kidnappers and other criminal elements in Taraba State.
Also at Zaki Ibiam, troops conducted raid operations at a kidnappers hideout Maraba in Ukyongu Ityuluv Ward of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State in the process one Mr Ichen Gbaka aged 65 years and his wife Mrs Salomi Gbaka a bandit collaborator were arrested.
Similarly, on 24 June 2024 troops on clearance patrol arrested Four(4) suspected kidnappers in Benue State, neutralized 3 bandits and rescued a kidnapped civilian Mr Auva Tisa who was on blind fold in the hideout was rescued with injuries and he is presently undergoing treatment.
Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN arrested 2 suspected gun runners. Messrs Augustine Davou Nyam and Pam Nyam (AKA TRIGGER) during an operation at Zawan and Du Communities. On 24 and 25 June 2022 troops recovered one locally fabricated AK47 rifle, one dane gun and 3 cutlasses, and arrested two notorious criminals, Mr Rufai Usman and Abubakar Ahmed were arrested by troops at Ex-ladi general area.
Troops neutralized one Mr Safiyanu Bala 25 years notorious bandit and kidnapper, troops also conducted search operations in the surrounding bush and rescued 3 kidnaped civilians; 2 females and a male.
The military high command commendations on the efforts of the troops in the various theatres, of operation across the Country.