The Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said troops killed scores of bandits around the tollgate general area in Chikun Local Government Area of the state.
The commissioner, in a statement on Saturday, said that among the bandits neutralised by the troops, was one Musti, who led the last year deadly assault on the nation’s foremost military university – the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.
He said Musti led the daring attack which claimed two military officers of the institution – Lt. Commander Wulah and Flight Lieutenant Okoronkwo – while one Major Christopher Datong was said to be missing after the attack at the early hours of August 24, 2021.
A notorious bandit, the Commissioner identified as Boderi Isiya, narrowly escaped being neutralised, adding that corpses and weapons were recovered at the scene, while some of the terrorists eventually died from bullet wounds.
Aruwan, however, failed to released figures of the terrorists neutralised by the troops.
The Commissioner said, “Notorious bandit Boderi Isiya has narrowly escaped being neutralized, while his deadly second in command and several other fighters were gunned down by Nigerian Army troops.
“Security agencies informed the Kaduna State Government of this development in an operational feedback.
“A painstaking check with credible human intelligence sources further confirmed that Boderi and his terror group had a bad day at the hands of the combat-ready troops.
“According to the reports, the troops engaged the bandits around the Tollgate general area of Chikun LGA. The bandits scrambled in retreat, only to run into another ambush laid by the troops in Sabon Gida general area.
“The troops engaged the bandits ferociously, and ultimately subdued them.
“Boderi’s deadly second in command, one Musti, was among those identified to have been eliminated, alongside one Yellow Mai-Madrid and one Dan-Katsinawa, with others yet to be identified. Some of the terrorists are battling with life-threatening wounds.
“Musti and Boderi were responsible for the security breach at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, and kidnappings of students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, the Emir of Bungudu and several other citizens last year.”
The Commissioner added that the operation excited the state governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, who was quoted to have praised the troops under the leadership of the General Officer Commanding, One Division, Kaduna, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja.
