Troops Kill 8 Terrorists, Rescue Abducted Victims In Borno

Troops of the Nigerian Army have killed eight terrorists and thwarted an attempt by insurgents to raid villages and abduct members of the Borno Communities.

The Army, in a statement on Monday, disclosed that its troops on September 22, had thwarted an attempt by terrorists to raid the villages to restock food and other items, leading to a gun duel that took out three terrorists.

“In the recent round of operations, a network involved in kidnapping for ransom was smashed, with victims freed and an arms supplier captured.

“The troops recovered one light machine gun, one AK-47 rifle, 2 hand grenades, 5 AK-47 rifle magazines, 200 linked Rounds of light Machine Gun and other materials, including Fifteen Thousand Naira (₦15,000) and a Techno phone seized at the scene,” the Army said.

In another clash, the Army said its troops had cornered terrorists escorting abducted victims through Uvaha village in Gwoza Local Government Area.

“Despite heavy rainfall, the troops went after the terrorists and eliminated one of them, forcing the others to flee, leaving behind 16 hostages.

“Among the freed victims were 10 men and 6 women. A follow-up search of the area uncovered two grenades, a bag of fish and sundry items,” the Army added.

Meanwhile, in Yobe State, troops ambushed a group of terrorists receiving supplies from their collaborators. This led to the death of four terrorists in Madza and Azare villages of Gujba Local Government Area.

The soldiers captured 2 AK-47 rifles and 2 empty AK-47 rifle magazines, as well as other sundry items.

Relatedly, troops deployed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) also acted on credible intelligence information about the movement of a terrorist’s collaborator who specialises in supplying arms and ammunition to terrorists.

“The troops in synergy with other security agencies activated a stop and search operation on suspected vehicles, leading to the arrest of a suspect at Kugbo general area of FCT.

“A search conducted on the suspect led to the recovery of 178 rounds of 7.62 mm (Special) ammunition concealed in a bag of flour.

“Also recovered from the suspect is a mobile phone and the sum of ₦29,000 only.

“All these efforts underscore the Nigerian Army’s unflinching dedication to wiping out terrorism, insurgency, and sundry crimes. The public is encouraged to keep sharing tips and useful information with security forces for prompt action,” the statement noted.