The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations I Division Nigerian Army, Lt-Col Musa Yahaya, confirmed the incident in a statement in Kaduna.
”Acting on credible intelligence, troops of the I Division Nigerian Army and operation Whirl Punch carried out a clearance operation around the general area of Maro – Chibiya forest in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State on November 12.
”During the operation, troops engaged the armed bandits with superior fire power, neutralising one of the bandits and forcing others to flee with gun shot wounds into the surrounding forest,” the Army said.
The Army also said that troops captured one AK 47 rifle, one locally fabricated AK 47 rifle, quantity four of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, and one mobile phone.
Yahaya also said that, on November 10, troops of the division and Operation Whirl Punch, while on clearance operation at Kawara and Filin Jalo villages in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, made contact with bandits at Kawara forest.
“In the firefight that ensued, troops neutralised one bandit and recovered one AK 47 rifle loaded with quantity 30 of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, one motorcycle, and one Tecno phone while others escaped with gunshot wounds,” he said.
He added that troops of the division conducted clearance operations at Mai-Kulu-Gwanda, Rafin Gora, Funtua Badadi, and Kabawa villages, all in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“During the operation, troops neutralised one bandit and captured one Boafeng radio and a motorcycle, “he said.
Yahaya said that the General Officer Commanding(GOC) I Division Nigerian Army and Force Commander Operation Whirl PUNCH, Maj-Gen. Valentine Okoro has commended the troops for their gallantry.
Okoro charged the troops to sustain the tempo until all bandits, terrorists, and criminal elements in the Division’s Area of Responsibility were completely annihilated.
NAN
