Soldier dies as troops kill scores of bandits in Zamfara village
(FILES) This picture taken on April 30, 2013 shows Nigerian troops patrolling in the streets of the remote northeast town of Baga, Borno State. Nigeria's military said on May 16, 2013 that it was ready to launch air strikes against Boko Haram Islamists as several thousand troops moved to the remote northeast to retake territory seized by the insurgents. A force of "several thousand" soldiers along with fighter jets and helicopter gunships have been deployed for the offensive in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa state, he added. AFP PHOTO/PIUS UTOMI EKPEIPIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP/Getty Images
The Nigerian Army has confirmed the death of a soldier as troops kill scores of bandits during an attack on Kabasa village in Zamfara State.
Troops of Sector 3 Operation Hadarin Daji engaged the bandits and thwarted a deadly kidnap, the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, said in a statement on Friday.
He noted that the soldiers stormed the village in Magami Local Government Area (LGA) of Zamfara following a credible tip-off on Tuesday while the criminals were attacking the villagers.
Yerima stated that the timely arrival of the troops disrupted the attack by the bandits who swiftly engaged them.
He added that the troops “Successfully neutralised scores (of the bandits) while others escaped into the forest with bullet wounds.
“Unfortunately, one soldier paid the supreme sacrifice and three others who sustained various degrees of injuries during the encounter are currently receiving medical treatment.”
Freedom After 22 Days
The army spokesman said the soldiers have dominated the general area with aggressive patrols and have continued further exploitation and pursuit of the bandits into the forest.
Similarly, he said troops responded to a distress call that bandits were attacking Gidan Goga village in Maradun LGA.
According to the brigadier general, troops swiftly mobilised to the area and engaged the bandits with superior firepower, killing three of them while others fled in disarray – some with gunshot wounds.
Elsewhere, troops rescued two female kidnapped victims in Birnin Gwari LGA in Kaduna State.
Preliminary investigation, Yerima stated, revealed that the victims were kidnapped 22 days ago from Kuyallo village in Birnin Gwari.
He noted that the victims have been given medical treatment while waiting to be reunited with their families.
In his reaction, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, congratulated the gallant troops and asked them to keep up the momentum until the entire North West zone was rid of bandits, cattle rustlers, and kidnappers, among other criminals.
He also thanked the villagers for the credible and timely information they provided to the troops which made their operations successful.
Attahiru said the patriotic action of the villagers should be emulated by others so that the activities of bandits would be nipped in the bud. (Channels TV)
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