Troops of the Joint Task Force North West Operation Hadarin Daji on Wednesday killed 10 terrorists and rescued nine kidnapped victims, including women and babies, during clearance operations in Katsina and Zamfara states.
According to a statement made on the Nigerian Army’s official X handle on Thursday, this was documented during the dry season clearance operations led by Major General Godwin Mutkut, General Officer Commanding 8 Division Nigerian Army.
The statement partly read, “On January 3, 2024, the combined troops of the OPHD conducted an offensive operation in identified terrorist enclaves at Batsari and Safana LGAs of Katsina State, neutralizing 10 of the terrorists while others fled with gunshot wounds.
“The troops also recovered one AK-47 rifle, ammunition, seven Danish guns, three locally fabricated guns, and other dangerous weapons, as well as communication gadgets, mobile phones, and military uniforms, while four motorcycles were recovered and destroyed in situ.”
In a second operation on the same day in Zamfara State, troops from Operation Hadarin Daji launched a search and rescue operation at Dansadau and Dandalla villages in the state’s Maru LG.
It read, “During the operation, nine kidnapped victims were rescued, which included five women and four babies.
“The victims were abandoned by the terrorists, who fled after a gun duel with the resilient troops. The rescued victims were immediately reunited with their families at Magami.”
This is the Nigerian Army’s first operational report for 2024.
According to reports, troops from the 1st Division of the Nigerian Army neutralized 14 militants and rescued kidnapped victims during operations in Niger and Kaduna states in December 2023.
OPDH forces also rescued 13 kidnapped victims and arrested 11 alleged terrorist logistical suppliers in Zamfara State during the same month.
