BANDITS RAMPAGE IN SOKOTO
Troops arrest 25 bandits, kill others in Sokoto, Katsina
Nigerian troops. File copy
Olaleye Aluko and OLAIDE OYELUDE
Troops of the Nigerian Army on Operation Harbin Kunama 3 have arrested at least 25 bandits and killed others during gun battles in communities in Sokoto and Katsina states.
The bandits, from whom eight AK-47 rifles and 48 rounds of special ammunition were recovered, were apprehended by troops in Isa, Rabbah and Burkusuma communities in Sokoto and Batsari, Safana and Kankara in Dumburum Forest of Katsina State.
According to the army on Saturday, the troops also uncovered and destroyed five camps used by the bandits in Gando Forest of Kebbi State.
The General Officer Commanding, 8 Division, Maj. Gen Hakeem Otiki, said 25 motorcycles were seized from the bandits’ camps and destroyed during the operation.
He added that Operation Harbin Kunama 3, which covered Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states, involved raids, ambushes, cordon and search with the support of the Air Task Force component.
The GOC said, “The operation is to facilitate the return of refugees and internally displaced persons back to their homes, creating enabling environment for economic activities to strive and instill confidence in the locals to remain in their villages and continue their normal lives unmolested.”
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Katsina State police command, SP Gambo Isah, on Saturday, warned bandits and other criminals in the state to either surrender or face the consequences.
He gave the warning in a WhatsApp message sent through a platform shared with journalists in the state.
He said the strategy, being put in place by security operatives and the cooperation of people had started yielding results, adding that this would henceforth make it difficult for bandits and other criminals to operate freely in the state.
He said, “In a couple of weeks to come, there will be no hiding place for any bandits. They should either surrender or face the consequences.
“The strategy put in place by the security agencies, coupled with the cooperation of the general public in giving out intelligence is yielding results.”
Also, there has been no information yet on the abducted Magajin Garin Daura (district head of Daura), Alhaji Musa Umar.
The Daura district head, who was abducted by gunmen on May 1, 2019, has yet to regain his freedom as of 7pm of filing the report.
The command’s spokesman told SUNDAY PUNCH that efforts were still ongoing to secure the release of the district head.
“We are not relenting,” he replied to an enquiry on the abduction.
There was also no confirmation yet on whether the abducted village head of Labo in the Batsari Local Government Area of the state, Bature Mai’unguwa, had regained his freedom.
The Labo village head was abducted on his farm on June 12 by gun-wielding men suspected to be bandits.
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