Nigerian army kills 38 bandits, rescues kidnap victims

ANKARA (AA) – The Nigerian military announced Monday that its forces had killed 38 bandits and rescued 108 people who had been kidnapped in the northwestern states of Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna and Kebbi, local media reported.

The troops also foiled 47 attacks by bandits as well as 31 kidnapping attempts during clearance operations in the area dubbed Operation Sahel Sanity, the This Day website reported.

“So far, in all the operations conducted between 4 September and 25 October 2020, 38 armed bandits were neutralized while 93 suspected bandit logistics suppliers and collaborators were arrested,” it quoted Acting Director of Defense Media Operations Brig. Gen. Benard Onyeuko as saying while briefing reporters in Katsina State.

“In all the search and rescue operations carried out, 108 kidnap victims were rescued, 90 bandit informants and collaborators, three rustled cattle marketers and 12 bandit logistics suppliers were arrested. Also, a total of 10 bandits’ camps and their logistics bases were destroyed by troops of Operation Sahel Sanity. Relatedly, 47 bandit attacks and 31 kidnap incidents were foiled by the troops,” he added.

The troops of Operation Sahel Sanity will continue their operations against bandits as well as other criminal elements, according to the report.