The ongoing clearance operations by troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army Kaduna and Operation Whirl Punch have continued to yield positive results as 10 terrorists were neutralised within one week with weapons and means of conveyance recovered from the criminals.
According to a statement issued by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, he said following a clearance operation conducted by troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army and Operation Whirl Punch in the general area of Kampanin Doka village at Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State, four bandits who had been terrorising the locals met their waterloo on November 1, 2023.
During the operation, troops recovered one AK47 rifle, one AK47 magazine, one machete, one mobile phone and 14 motorcycles from the criminals.
In a related development, on November 2, 2023, some farmers who were harvesting their crops at the western part of Sabon Sara village in the State fled their farms and alerted troops of bandits’ attack. The spokesperson said the troops on receipt of the information quickly mobilised to the area and upon arrival, four of the farmers courageously joined the troops and neutralised one bandit while others withdrew in disarray with gunshot wounds.
The troops recovered two AK47 rifles while one of the farmer, Mallam Abdulrahman Aliyu, who sustained minor injuries during the encounter, was immediately evacuated to a nearby military hospital for treatment.
Similarly, on November 3, 2023, acting on credible intelligence, troops carried out clearance operation around the general areas of Kankomi, Juji, Gwantu, Kujeni, Kikwari and Kaso, all in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State.
He said troops made contact with bandits and successfully neutralised two of the criminals and recovered one AK47 rifle, one AK47 magazine, four 7.62MM Special ammunition, one Honda motorcycle and one mobile hone.
Also, on the November 5, 2023, while on yet another clearance operation in the general area of Maidaro, Ngade, Ahla and Rikau villages in Birnin Gwari LGA of the State, troops made contact with terrorists and criminal elements and on sighting the troops, the terrorists took to their heels as troops pursued and neutralised two of them while others escaped with gunshot wounds and abandoned one motorcycle.
Similarly he said, on the same day, troops carried out a discreet operation around Tantatu and Antena general area in Chikun LGA where troops neutralised one terrorist, captured one AK47 rifle, one AK47 magazine, seven 7.62mm (Special) ammunition and two mobile phones.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division Nigerian Army, who doubles as the Force Commander, Operation Whirl Punch, Maj. Gen VU Okoro, has applauded the troops for their remarkable resilience and charged them to sustain the tempo until all terrorists and criminals in the Division’s Area of Responsibility are completely annihilated.
He also appealed to the good people of Kaduna State to continue to avail the Nigerian Army and other security agencies with credible and actionable intelligence that will help in checking activities of terrorists and other criminal elements.
