Armed banditry: Soldiers arrest informants, kill six bandits

The Nigerian Army on Monday said that its troops have arrested 18 informants, including two village heads, and also killed six bandits in Zamfara state.

The army, which said the attack was carried out by troops of Operation HABIN KUNAMA III deployed to villages in Zamfara State to quell armed banditry, added that weapons were recovered during the operation.

According to Nigerian Army spokesman, Colonel Sagir Musa, the onslaught against the bandits took place at Kirsa and Sunke villages in Anka Local Government Area (LGA), as well as Doka and Mutu villages in Gusau LGA.

He said that the clearance operation by the troops snowballed into exchange of gunfire with bandits at Kirsa and Sunke villages resulting in the killing of six of the criminals.

He said two AK47 rifles and two motorcycles were recovered by the operatives, adding that at Doka and Mutu, troops recovered three motorcycles, two dane guns and two machetes.

The battle with “a group of well-armed bandits”, he said, lasted for about two hours.

He added, “The brigands were armed with sophisticated automatic weapons, were overpowered by troops, forcing survivors among them to abandon their camps and logistics which were destroyed by the troops.

“Additionally, 18 suspected informants and errand men to the bandits including the village heads of Doka and Mutu villages were arrested.

“The Force Commander (FC) Maj. –  Gen  Hakeem Otiki reiterated the resolve of troops to tackle the menace of armed banditry, other forms of criminality in Zamfara and its contiguous states of Kebbi, Katsina and Sokoto.

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“He enjoined members of the public to continue cooperating with the troops and other security agencies by providing information that will assist in dealing with bandits/banditry activities in the states.”