Nigerian military kills 30 terrorists who ambushed soldiers in capital

By Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu

KANO, Nigeria (AA) - Nigeria’s military killed 30 of the terrorists who ambushed members of the Presidential Guards Brigade earlier this month in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Defense Headquarters said Thursday.

The operation was conducted between Sunday and Tuesday by troops of the 7 Guards Battalion and 167 Special Forces Battalion in conjunction with the air component of “Operation Whirl Punch”, Maj. Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, director of defense media operations, told reporters in the capital Abuja.

According to Onyeuko, the ground troops also recovered six motorcycles, two AK47 rifles and one fully loaded light machine gun (LMG) magazine during the mop-up.

“The hierarchy of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies wishes to reassure Nigerians of its commitment and pact with all Nigerians,” he said.

“With the recent operations carried out from July 23, we wish to assure residents of FCT in particular that we are undaunted and unrelenting in our efforts to ensure the safety of lives and properties.”

Onyeuko said the troops successfully cleared Kawu and Ido villages, neutralizing the terrorists and destroying their enclave and hideout.

“Citizens are encouraged to report unusual persons in your community to security agencies. If you see something, say something,” he added.

The Director of Defense Information, Maj. Gen. Jimmy Akpor, urged the media to continue to support the military in ensuring that the enemies of the nation are defeated.

On July 24, terrorists attacked troops of the Presidential Guards while they were on patrol, wounding three personnel.

The attack occurred along Kubwa-Bwari Road in Abuja while the guards were on routine patrol.​​​​​​​

The Federal Capital Territory, commonly known as FCT, is a federal territory in central Nigeria. Abuja is located in the territory.