Troops kill eight terrorists

The Nigerian Army says it has eliminated no fewer than eight terrorists and recovered a cache of weapons in recent operations against terrorism in the Northeast.

Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement, revealed that a kidnap network was smashed with troops rescuing no fewer than 16 hostage victims. He added that an arms supplier to the terrorists was also captured.

He said: “On September 22, 2024, troops stationed in Borno State thwarted an attempt by terrorists to raid villages for supplies and logistics. After an intense firefight, three of the assailants were taken out.

“The troops recovered one light machine gun, one AK-47 rifle, two hand grenades, five AK-47 rifle magazines, 200 linked Rounds of light Machine Gun and other materials, including ₦15,000 and a Techno phone seized at the scene.

“In another clash, while acting on credible information, troops cornered terrorists escorting abducted victims through Uvaha village in Gwoza Local Government Area. Despite heavy rainfall, the troops went after the terrorists and eliminated one of them, forcing the others to flee, leaving behind 16 hostages.

“Among the freed victims were 10 men and 6 women. A follow-up search of the area uncovered two grenades, a bag of fish and sundry items.”

According to him, in a separate operation, troops, acting on credible intelligence, encountered terrorists escorting abducted victims through Uvaha village in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State and engaged the assailants, killing one terrorist and forcing the others to flee.

The bandits, he added, left behind 16 hostages, including 10 men and six women. A subsequent search of the area uncovered additional grenades and supplies.

Also in Yobe State, troops set up an ambush targeting a group of terrorists receiving supplies. This, Nwachukwu said, led to the neutralisation of four terrorists in Mazda and Azare villages of Gujba Local Government Area.

The soldiers also recovered two AK-47 rifles and two empty Ak-47 rifle magazines, as well as other sundry items, from the terrorists.

He said the troops in synergy with other security agencies activated a stop and search operation on suspected vehicles, leading to the arrest of a suspect at Kugbo general area of FCT.

“A search conducted on the suspect led to the recovery of 178 rounds of 7.62 mm (Special) ammunition concealed in a bag of flour. Also recovered from the suspect is a mobile phone and the sum of ₦29,000.00 only.

“All these efforts underscore the Nigerian Army’s unflinching dedication to wiping out terrorism, insurgency, and sundry crimes. The public is encouraged to keep sharing tips and useful information with security forces for prompt action.”