Troops kill 11 gunmen, two terrorists in Zamfara, Borno

Troops of the 223 Battalion while on field training and operations have killed 11 armed bandits during patrol of the forests code-named “Harbin Kunama” to fish out miscreants in Zamfara State.

A statement by the spokesman of the Army, Col. Sani Usman, said the intensified patrol by the troops in some of the forests where most of the bandits’ hide-outs are located, said that they “encountered armed bandits at Madaka Village, Maru Local Council in which they killed nine armed bandits and recovered three AK-47 rifles, two AK-47 rifles magazine, three rounds of 7.62mm (special) ammunition, one machete and 24 motorcycles.‬

He said the local vigilante at ‘Yargada Village in Gusau Local Council of the state also apprehended a fleeing suspected armed bandit and handed him over to troops deployed at Magami.‬

In another development, he said troops during the raid of a bandit camp at Gangamai Village in Dansadau Local Council, over-powered some bandits who fled leaving behind two dane guns and bags containing marijuana, also known as Indian hemp.

He said: “Another team also carried out raid on cattle rustlers and armed bandits camp at Gidan Mai Jaja in Dansadau general area.‬ The rustlers and armed bandits fled on sighting the approaching troops abandoning 85 cows, 37 sheep and a donkey. Similarly, another patrol team also carried out a raid on a armed bandits and cattle rustlers’ camp at Gobirawan Kwacha where they killed 2 armed bandits and recovered a machete”.

Besides, troops of 29 Brigade Quick Reaction Force (QRF) of Nigerian Army in conjunction with Civilian JTF have killed two Boko Haram terrorists in an ambush at Marguba Village in Konduga Local Ccouncil of Borno state.

A statement by Usman read: “The troops killed two of the Boko Haram terrorists while some of them sustained gunshot wounds as could be seen from traces of blood during mopping up.

“They also recovered an AK-47 rifle with 29 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, a bow and arrows, a Tecno mobile handset, a wallet and an identity card of Animal Dealers Association, among other items.

“In a related development, troops along with Civilian JTF have continued clearance operations within Sambisa Forest despite harsh climatic conditions and difficult terrain occasioned by heavy downpour, particularly within Gambale area.

“Despite bugging down of vehicles and equipment because of the difficult terrain, the troops have continued with their clearance operations.”