Troops rescue kidnapped victims in Zamfara, arrest bandits in Benue

Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji have again rescued 10 kidnapped victims from bandits at Yenyewa Village in Zamfara following a tip-off.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Enenche said the troops had on Dec. 20 responded to a distress call on bandits’ activities in the area and engaged them accordingly.

According to him, troops overwhelmed the criminals with superior firepower and forced them to abandon 10 kidnapped victims before fleeing in disarray.

“The rescued kidnapped victims have been reunited with their families,” he said.

Enenche also disclosed that troops of Operation Whirl Stroke killed one bandit, arrest two others in two encounters in Benue on Monday.

He said the troops received credible intelligence on the presence of some bandits around Anguwa-Onmbaagbu general area in the state.

According to him, the bandits were linked to the recent killing of a Makurdi based lawyer and his wife.

“Troops swiftly mobilised to the identified location where they had contact and engaged the criminals in fire fight.

“During the encounter, troops overwhelmed the bandits and killed one of them, while others flee with various degrees of gunshot wounds.

“Troops recovered an AK-47 rifle and a magazine loaded with 4 rounds of 7.62mm Special Ammunition from the criminal elements,” he said.

The Coordinator said that troops also raided a bandits’ hideout at Abako Village while acting on intelligence report on activities of remnants of the late Gana’s militia gangs in parts of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area.

He said that troops arrested and handed over two bandits to appropriate prosecuting agency for further action during the encounter.