Men of the Nigerian Army from the 177 Battalion and the command Army Records Lokoja, with supports from local vigilante, have cleared the camp of Darusallam, a terror group that has been carrying out its heinous operations on the border between Kogi and Nasarawa States for over eight years.
Darusallam camp, it was gathered, located at Ittu, houses over 2,000 kidnappers, bandits and Boko Haram elements responsible for most of the kidnappings and criminal activities perpetrated along the Abuja-Lokoja highway.
During the military clearing operations, it was gathered that one of the suspects was shot dead while attempting to escape.
Between last Saturday and Wednesday, about 100 persons, mostly women and
children, were rescued and taken to Lafia Nasarawa State, while on Sunday, at Achara in Tawari Ward of Kogi Local Government Area, about 180 members of Darusalam were captured.
Recal that the governor of Kogi State and Chairman, Security Committee, Northern Governors’ Forum, during Eid-kabir celebration, told journalists in Okene that in days ahead, he will lead security operatives into the forest to unleash terrors on criminals operating within the State.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Kogi State Governor, Onogwu Mohammed, in a press statement issued to DAILY POST on Monday morning said “motorists plying the Abuja/Lokoja highway can now heave a sigh of relief following the deadly blow dealt to kidnappers and criminal elements that have been terrorizing travelers on that axis for sometimes now.
“The logistics supports of the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello to the Nigerian Army helped in no small measure in the success recorded by men of the Nigerian Army in this latest operation”.
