Nigerian troops ambush bandits, kill three

The Troops of Sub-Sector 4, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, on Tuesday, ambushed bandits and killed three of them off the Kaduna-Abuja highway, according to an official statement.

Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations, 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Musa Yahaya, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna.

Mr Yahaya said, “In a well-coordinated operation on Tuesday, troops of Sub-Sector 4, Operation FANSAN YAMMA successfully neutralised three Violent Extremists and Insurgents (VEIs) in an ambush at an area near Ngwagi Hill, Gwagwada Community, off the Kaduna – Abuja highway in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State.”

The spokesman said the operation’s success was based on credible intelligence that the suspects were sighted near Ngwagi Hill.

He said that troops were immediately deployed on long-range fighting patrol to the likely road-crossing point of the insurgents.

According to him the troops got to the location at about 5.30 p.m. on the same date and successfully launched the ambush, during which three armed members of the group were killed.

“During the operation, troops also recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, including two AK-47 rifles, eight AK-47 rifle magazines, 374 rounds of 7.62mm x 39 special ammunition and 88 rounds of 7.62mm x 54 NATO ammunition.

“Other items recovered were one Infinix mobile phone, medical supplies, clothing, and dry rations,” Mr Yahaya said.

He said the operation’s success was a testament to the troops’ high fighting morale and combat efficiency.

“This achievement is also as a result of the effective collaboration between the military and intelligence agencies, which provided credible intelligence that informed the operation.”

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He said the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Nigerian Army, and Commander Sector 1 Joint Task Force Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Maj.-Gen. Mayirenso Saraso, commended the troops for their resilience and successful conduct of the operation.

He charged the troops not to relent on their oars until all criminal elements operating in the division and the sector’s area of operational responsibility were killed.

(NAN)