By Idris Ibrahim
The Nigerian Military conducting the on going Operation ‘Sharan Daji’ in Zamfara, on Friday said the operation has curtailed the activities of banditry, kiddnapings and armed robbery in the state.
The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General John Agim disclosed this in a statement at the Headquarters of Operation Sharan Daji in Gusau, Zamfara.
The mandate of the military operation in conjunction with other security operatives, is to combat the incessant armed banditry, kidnappings and cattle rustling in the state.
However, recent reccurring unabetting attacks by bandits in several communities in the state have led to the deaths of hundreds of civilians including security operatives.
The defense spokesperson in his statement applauded the cooperation of state government and citizens in its fight to combat the security challenges in the state.
“With support of the State Government, cooperation of citizens and community leaders by providing useful and credible information on the bandits’ hideouts camps were received and troops promptly acted. The troops of OPSD were equally assisted by local vigilante groups, who are conversant with the environment and modus operandi of the bandits and other criminal elements”.
“In the pursuit of these mandates, series of raids, ambushes, fighting patrols, snaps road blocks and air strikes are being conducted. This has enabled the troops to dominate their respective areas of responsibilities and create safe and conducive atmosphere for the civilian populace to live their normal lives. So far in this operation, many heinous and notorious armed bandits were neutralized among them were Danboko and Danbuzuwa and over 50 bandits were arrested. Likewise over 20 sophisticated arms and assorted ammunitions, along with some dangerous local weapons were recovered from bandits”, he said.
“I want to state categorically that Zamfara State which was once bedevilled with insecurity and incessant killings due to banditry activities, cattle rustling, kidnappings and armed robbery is now assured of safety of lives and properties”, he added.
Military also listed items recovered so far in the on-going Operation which include: two cars, 36 motorcycles, over 30 mobile phones.
The statement added that three kidnapped victims were rescued with over N500, 000 recovered from kidnappers.
“Some arms dealers and cattle rustlers including 2 female bandits were also arrested. A point of emphasis is the arrest of chief logistics suppliers identified as Mr Amos Ugwuozor, Nura Mukhtari and Sani Yaro”, he said.
However, the statement also noted that the air component of the operation has destroyed several enclaves of the bandits camps.
“The Air Task Force (ATF) in support of OPSD recently launched series of air strikes against the bandits’ hideouts and camps in SUBUBU and RUGU forests. The attacks successfully neutralized large number of armed bandits and destroyed their camps.
These thick forests and other ungoverned areas serve as sanctuary and safe haven for the bandits, from where they planned and launched attack on innocent people.
The troops make use of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform to gain real time information on the movement and locations of bandits thereby denying them freedom of action”.
