The Defence Headquarters says the troops of Operations Accord and Hadarin Daji have continued to annihilate bandits in Katsina and Zamfara forcing many of them to surrender.

The Co-ordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Enenche said the troops have continued to conduct intensive clearance operations to identified bandits enclaves in the North- West, with attendant successes against the criminal elements.

He said the troops had on July 3, stormed a bandits’ camp at Sanu village in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara sequel to actionable Human and technical intelligence on the heavy bandits’ presence in the vicinity. He said that the bandits fled with gunshot wounds, adding that the troops pursued the bandits, engaged them and overwhelmed them with heavy volume of fire.

He said exploitation of the general area led to the recovery of one AK47 rifle and one SMG rifle. “It was also revealed that several bandits suffered heavy injuries and most likely died, as evident in the vast pools of blood along their withdrawal route.

“In a related development, troops made contact with bandits at Bawan Daji village and neutralised one bandit while many others were fatally wounded. “Troops further raided bandits’ enclave at Gidan Zamfarawa about 10km from Mashanyin Zaki.

“The bandits fled on sighting troops from afar but were pursued by the determined troops who engaged them with aggressive firing. “Troops exploited the general area and destroyed seven major bandit camps while one AK47 rifle, and two motorcycles, among others were equally recovered,” he said.

Enenche further disclosed that troops had on July 5, stormed an identified bandits camp at Salihawa village in Batsari area of Katsina State following credible intelligence on their activities in the village. He said that the troops overwhelmed the bandits with superior firepower and neutralised one of the criminals while several others escaped with fatal gunshot wounds.

He said troops also apprehended a suspected bandits’ logistics supplier, Mohammed Illela, at Illela village on July 4, following a tip-off. He said the suspect was arrested while attempting to convey 13 jerrycans of 30 litres of PMS concealed in an ash-coloured Volkswagen wagon car, to suspected bandits.

He added that a bandit was also eliminated during a cordon and search operation by the troops at Bawar-Daji village on July 5. (NAN)