The Nigerian Army has rescued nine kidnapped victims and disrupted attempts by terrorists to infiltrate communities in Niger State, as troops stepped up operations across parts of Mariga and Rijau Local Government Areas.
Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Headquarters 18 Brigade, Bida, Captain Adebayo Adewumi, disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Saturday.
Captain Adewumi said the operations also led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, several motorcycles and dozens of livestock suspected to have been stolen from local communities.
He said on Wednesday, August 12, troops of the Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC) Admin Battalion, deployed at Kotonkoro, rescued the nine victims during an offensive operation against terrorist elements in Mariga LGA.
The military spokesman said the victims were later handed over to Mariga Local Government officials for documentation and reunification with their families.
According to him, in Rijau LGA on the same day, troops conducting a fighting patrol around Warari encountered a terrorist ambush but successfully pushed back the attackers.
He said a search of the area afterwards yielded seven motorcycles, one camel, 47 cattle and 18 sheep believed to have been rustled from nearby communities. The recovered livestock were handed over to the appropriate authorities.
The troops had also disrupted a separate attempt by terrorists to enter communities around Majal and Tunga Bisallah in Rijau LGA two days earlier.
On August 10, personnel of the Brigade’s Quick Response Force, working alongside troops of the 311 Artillery Regiment and the Chief of Army Staff Special Intervention Battalion X, intercepted the terrorists as they attempted to infiltrate Inana Village and surrounding communities.
The terrorists, who were reportedly riding motorcycles, fled towards a nearby forest after sighting the troops.
Soldiers engaged them, forcing the attackers to abandon their equipment and motorcycles. Some of the fleeing terrorists were believed to have sustained gunshot wounds.
An ensuing search led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, an empty magazine, ammunition of different calibres and one motorcycle. Six other motorcycles were destroyed at the scene.
Beyond the immediate rescue of the kidnapped victims, the operations highlight the Army’s effort to prevent criminal groups from establishing a foothold in communities around Niger State’s vulnerable areas.
The recovery of livestock suspected to have been stolen from residents also provides a measure of relief to communities grappling with attacks, kidnapping and other forms of criminality.
The Commander of 18 Brigade commended the troops for their courage and professionalism, urging them to sustain the pressure on terrorists and other criminal elements operating within the Brigade’s area of responsibility.
He also stressed the importance of credible information from local communities, noting that timely intelligence could help troops detect threats early and prevent attacks before they occur.
The Commander said the operations were in line with the directive of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu, to intensify offensive operations, dominate the battlespace and degrade terrorism and other criminal activities.
He urged the troops to maintain the momentum and continue protecting vulnerable communities and the lives and property of residents across the state.
