The Air component of Operation Thunder Strike has reportedly eliminated several bandits and disrupted their camps in the Kuduru and Kwaimbana Forest areas of Kaduna State.
This was achieved through separate airstrikes carried out on the heels of intelligence reports indicating that the two locations were being used as staging areas by the bandits.
The troops also arrested two suspected couriers for bandits with N1.565m cash in the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State on September 7.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in conjunction with vigilantes equally arrested an informant to bandits in Faskari LGA, Katsina State and killed two others at Samawa village in Bungudu LGA, Zamfara State.
Providing updates on military operations across the country at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, he further disclosed that men of Operation Thunder Strike successfully ambushed bandits at Jeka Da Rabi along Kaduna-Abuja Expressway in Chikun LGA, Kaduna State, neutralised four bandits and recovered firearms.
He said, “Similarly, a bandit named Sada surrendered three AK47 rifles, one Sub-machine gun and two magazines to troops of Forward Operating Base, Dansadau in Zamfara State.
“Furthermore, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji on September 6 arrested a bandit at Koha village in Batsari LGA, Katsina State. Also, on September 7, troops of Forward Operating Base Kekuwuje arrested two bandits’ couriers with the sum of N1,565,550 in Maru LGA, Zamfara State.
He added, “During the encounters, troops neutralized a terrorist and recovered one PKT rifle and two AK47 rifles. Also on the same day, troops arrested two Boko Haram/ISWAP elements at Kamuya village in Biu LGA and another named Usman Almajiri, at Damaturu town in Yobe State.”