Two Nigerian soldiers and two ‘members of the vigilante’ were killed during an offensive against ‘bandits’ that saw 58 killed, the army has said.
As part of Operation Sharan Daji, Nigerian troops “commenced clearance operations into bandits enclaves” in Zamfara and Katsina states, Major Clement K. Abiade said in a statement published on Facebook on Tuesday.
On January 20, “troops came into contact with a large gang of bandits armed with sophisticated firearms and Rocket Propelled grenades at Dumburum and Gando forests leading to fierce gun battles which lasted several hours,” Abiade said, adding that the bandits were “forced to abandon their camps due to superior firepower.”
Two soldiers and two “members of the vigilante” were killed, and eight soldiers and six vigilantes were wounded during the encounters.
Abiade said 58 bandits were “neutralised,” and one was captured alive. Troops destroyed 18 camps and rescued 75 people who had been kidnapped. Items recovered included five FN rifles, four AK-type assault rifles, 10 locally made rifles and 40 motorcycles.The military, working in “collaboration with all security agencies and local vigilante” began the operation on January 19 and it is scheduled to continue until June, Abiade said, adding that the offensive is “designed to identify and destroy bandits’ camps/enclaves in the area of operation.
Launched in early 2016, “Operation Sharan Daji was “established to fight against cattle rustling and banditry activities within the North West which include; Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi states,” according to the military.
