Army kills 16 bandits, parades 66 suspects

Zulum lauds troops for protecting Borno

Nigerian Army Special Forces Command has neutralised not fewer than 16 notorious bandits and arrested 66 suspects at different operations in the central zone.

The commander, Maj-Gen. Mhounday Ali, while parading the 66 criminal suspects at the Lafia command in Doma, yesterday, said out of the 66 arrested, 41 were members of the late Tewasa Gwaza (alias Gana)’s armed gang in the army’s wanted list.

Ali explained that the chief priest provided information to Gana, through diabolic means, about those who spoke against him.

The chief priest, Mr. Ugba Iorlumum, a 67-year-old man from Vandekiya Council in Benue State, confessed that he prepared charms that enabled Gana and his gang to appear and disappear.

Ali, however, noted that 119 key members of Gana’s gangs were in the army’s custody.

In a similar vein, the general said that two other kidnap kingpins, Abdulkareem Sadiq and Momo, who were responsible for the kidnap and killing of an officer of the State Security Service (SSS) at Ilorin, were arrested.

But he regretted losing seven of its gallant personnel who were killed during engagements.
BORNO State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has commended troops of the 151 Battalion of Nigerian Army for protecting border communities with Cameroon.

The communities include Daramajal, Mainti and Firgi Junction, leading to Banki and Gwoza towns. Bama and the border communities were liberated by the military in 2015, before over 5,500 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were returned in 2018.

While addressing over 700 troops at Firgi Junction along Bama/Gwoza road, Zulum said: “We are here today to express appreciation to men and officers of the 151 Battalion for the great job they are doing,” he said, noting that the troops had never been defeated by Boko Haram.

On challenges of border communities, he said: “Some of you are at the Firgi Junction, while others are in Mainti and Daramajal.”

According to him, despite the difficulties encountered, the troops still perform wonderfully.

“Since you’re working well, it is our responsibility to come and say a big thank you to all of you,” he added.