ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- No fewer than five armed bandits have been killed by troops of Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD), during separate encounters in Zamfara State.
Channels Television reports that the troops, while on regular routine patrol at Damri District of Bakura Local Government of Zamfara, had credible intelligence on bandits movement with large numbers of rustled cattle.
Swiftly, the troops mobilized to their routes, resulting to a heavy gun battle with armed bandits near Galadimai village in the Damri district, under the Bakura Local Government Area of the state.
Three armed bandits were neutralized while others fled with several gunshot wounds, abandoning the rustled animals.
Items recovered during the encounter include one AK-47 rifle, 7.62 mm special ammunition, and five motorcycles. Furthermore, large numbers of cattle, camel and sheep were also recovered.
Similarly, troops on routine patrol along the Magami community responded to a distress call on the kidnap of six persons by the bandits in the Magami community, according to Channels Television.
The troops were said to have moved to the scene of the event immediately.
On sighting the approach of the troops, bandits opened fire on the troops to flee with the victims.
But due to the superior firepower of the troops, some of the kidnapped victims were rescued while others fled for safety and search efforts are ongoing to find them.
Two bandits were neutralized at the end, and items recovered from the fleeing bandits were one AK-47 rifle, three 7.62mm special rounds, six Automatic Grenade Launcher Bombs, N3,700 and two magazines.