No fewer than 10 bandits were killed by the Troops of Operation Sahel Sanity in Katsina State.
According to the Defence Headquarters on Tuesday, troops also arrested their collaborators, informants and recovered a cache of arms in different encounters in Katsina State.
In a statement by the Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, the Defence Headquarters revealed that the troops morale was very high against bandits in the North Western zone.
Onyeuko said the troops had on Jan. 2, laid ambush on the bandit’s route at Garin Garus following information that bandits were sighted crossing Garin Inu in Batsari Local Government Area of the state.
He said the bandits were heading towards Bugaje in Jibiya Local Government Area of the state.
According to him, troops engaged the bandits with overwhelming fire power, thereby neutralising five, while others escaped with varying degrees of injuries as indicated by traces of blood along their escape routes.
He said that exploitation of the area led to the capture of three AK-47 rifles and two AK-47 magazines loaded with 18 rounds of 7.62 mm Special ammunition.
Onyeuko also maintained that the troops arrested a suspected bandits’ collaborator named Ya’u Tukur at Sabon Gida village in Kankara Local Government Area.
The suspect was said to have confessed to working for a notorious bandit gang that had been masterminding nefarious criminal activities.