By Abba Kabara
Troops of “Operation SAHEL SANITY” fighting banditry in the North West have arrested more than 150 suspected bandits.
The troops also recovered about twenty arms and rescued a number of kidnap victims.
The Acting Director Defence media operations, Brig. Gen. Benard Onyeuko made the disclosure on Tuesday in Faskari Super Camp 4, Katsina state.
He said last Sunday, troops raided an illegal mining site located along Gadar Zaima – Zuru Road in Bukuyyum local government of Zamfara State, which also serves as bandits’ hideout.
During the operation, he said 150 suspects were arrested while 20 locally fabricated Dane Guns were recovered from the suspects.
The Gen. stressed that preliminary investigation revealed that, aside from sabotaging the nation’s economy, “banditry is being financed through illegal mining activities”.
According to the army spokesman, his troops last Friday, raided a known bandit hideout around Dogon Karfe village in Bakura local government of Zamfara, revealing that during the operation, “four Dane Guns and one loaded magazine were recovered in an abandoned structure”.
“The troops also arrested a wanted notorious bandit named Isuhu Ibrahim (aka Bula) who in company of other bandits, has been terrorizing and killing innocent poeple in the area” he said.
“In an operation at Daki Takwas area of Zamfara state, the troops intercepted a Toyota Corolla car with Reg No. DAL 41MT, and after a thorough search on the vehicle, eleven new locally made rifles and 150 live cartridges were discovered to have been carefully concealed in different parts of the vehicle”, Onyeuko reveals, adding that five suspects were however arrested in connection with the illegal fire arms.
Other successes recorded by the troops according to the spokesman, include the rescue of one adult male and one female earlier kidnapped by suspected bandits at Daudawa village of Faskari local government area of Katsina State.
He added that the victims managed to escape from their captives as a result of troops intense operational activities in the area, stressing they have already been handed over to officials of Faskari for reunion with their families.
