Soldiers under Operation Sahel Sanity have succeeded in arresting about 22 suspected bandits, informants, and their food suppliers during various operations conducted in Katsina and Zamfara states.
Brig-Gen. Benard Onyeuko, the Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, disclosed this in a statement to newsmen, on Thursday, in Katsina.
Onyeuko said that the troops also recovered over 40 rustled animals during the operations.
He said that the suspects were arrested at different villages during the operations carried out between August 5 and 11, 2020, in the two states.
The Army spokesman said the army had destroyed eight bandits camps in the forests from where the bandits operate.
Onyeuko also revealed that the suppliers and collaborators were arrested while butchering the rustled cows and preparing them for sale to the public, while the informants were nabbed following a tip-off.
He further explained that the collaborators used to sell stolen animals for the bandits and supply them basic needed items into the forests.
According to him, the troops were able to kill one bandit during one of their encounters at Zamfarawa village of Katsina State. He noted that a lot of the criminals escaped with gunshot wounds into the forests during the encounter.
Onyeuko said that the troops were able to rescue two kidnapped victims and recovered about four Dane guns abandoned by the bandits at their camps when they sighted the troops approaching their hideouts in the forests.
The Army spokesman said that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai commended the troops for their gallantry, successes, and resilience and advised them not to rest on their oars. He assured people of the northwest zone of the Nigerian Army’s commitment to the safety of lives and property within the zone.