IN a coordinated operation by troops of Sector 1 Operation Hadarin Daji in Zamfara State, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji have neutralised 10 armed bandits and rescued nine kidnapped victims.
News Point Nigeria reports that, the troops of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Danmarke carried out the operation in the early hours of Tuesday, after receiving credible information on bandits’ movement with some kidnapped victims from Sokoto State through Gadazaima village in Zamfara State.
The troops immediately mobilised for an offensive ambush operation within the village and made contact with the armed bandits that lasted for hours, it was learnt.
A top military source who preferred anonymity told Channels Television that the troops’ superior firepower forced the bandits to abandon the kidnapped victims and withdraw in disarray.
According to him, during the firefight, 10 armed bandits were neutralised while an unconfirmed number of them fled with gunshot wounds.
Additionally, in an attempt to escape the troops’ onslaught, several of the bandits drowned in a swampy river, while two were captured alive during pursuit by the troops.
The items recovered after the encounter included six AK-47 rifles, 1PKT machine gun, and five magazines.
Also, 20 rounds of 7.62MM special ammunition, three mobile phones, two solar panels, one sewing machine, and the sum of N2,410,000 were recovered from the bandits.
The nine rescued victims, who are all from Sokoto State, were successfully rescued.
One female abducted victim was reportedly killed by the bandits in the firefight, while the rescued victims were handed over to the appropriate authorities to reunite them with their families.
