Troops kill 20 suspected cattle rustlers in Zamfara

13 insurgents killed by soldiers, two Camerounians, 400 hostages rescued in Borno

At least 20 cattle rustlers were killed in Zamfara State yesterday by troops of the 223 Light Tank Battalion of the Nigerian Army, who recovered 12 rifles after a fierce encounter with armed bandits and cattle rustlers on Wednesday, the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Abdullahi Adamu Aliyu said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters yesterday in Gusau, Colonel Adamu said the bandits were engaged in multiple fronts around the general area of Babbar Doka, Ruwan Tofa and Malele all in Dansadau District of Maru Local Government Council of the state.

According to Adamu, the Nigerian Army also had an encounter with the cattle rustlers at Madaba and Yar Wutsiya villages.

And in Borno State, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor said yesterday that 13 Boko Haram terrorists were killed while 400 Nigerian hostages and two Camerounians were rescued in the special military operations Wednesday in three villages of the state.

Irabor disclosed this at a news conference in Maiduguri, while briefing journalists on ‘Operation Crackdown’ at the Maimalari Theatre Command Centre.

He said the operation was being carried out jointly by the Army, the Police, DSS and other sister security agencies, adding that the commissioner of police had sent his men to the battle field and a lot of recoveries were being made.

“Two of those killed are key commanders. One is called Buzu and other is known as Aliyu Rana Da kaya. So, it has been a good day or week to us. We have also repelled attacks on some of the communities they had earlier planned to attack,” he revealed.

In Borno, Irabor said the troops killed over a dozen terrorists, and rescued 34 adults and 28 children in the cleared villages of the state, adding that these are tremendous successes recorded against Boko Haram insurgents.

The cleared villages, according to him, include Chingurimi, Walasa and Masa in Sambisa Forest of Borno State.

He stated that the troops’ morale is high as they continue advancing into the heart of Sambisa Forest in pursuit of elements of insurgents in their enclaves and hideouts, rescuing over 400 hostages including two Camerounians.

He said during the troops’ advances; the soldiers also made substantial gains by destroying many terrorists’ locations and hideouts; before freeing first batch of 62 hostages held by the insurgents.