The Nigerian Army says its troops have rescued 34 kidnapped victims, arrested a suspected informant of the Islamic State West Africa Province and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition during coordinated military operations conducted across several states in the last 24 hours.
The military disclosed this in an operational report released on Sunday, detailing a series of offensives carried out by troops under different operations across the North-East, North-West, North-Central and South-East.
According to the report, troops of Operation HADIN KAI rescued 31 kidnapped passengers along the Buratai-Kamuya Road in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State after intercepting terrorists believed to be members of ISWAP and Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad.
The report stated that the troops detected the terrorists abducting civilians from four vehicles through Closed Circuit Television surveillance before swiftly deploying a Quick Reaction Force to the scene.
The troops reportedly engaged the insurgents in a gun battle, forcing them to abandon the victims and flee, leaving behind a motorcycle.
It added, “Troops of Operation HADIN KAI rescued 31 kidnapped victims from terrorists along the Buratai-Kamuya Road in Biu Local Government Area of Borno.
“The rescue followed a swift response after troops of the 135 Special Forces Battalion detected ISWAP/JAS terrorists abducting civilians from four vehicles through CCTV surveillance.”
In another operation in Borno, troops of the 145 Battalion carried out a fighting patrol around the Turoh area of Damasak in Mobbar Local Government Area, compelling suspected terrorists to flee.
Military personnel recovered two motorcycles and illicit drugs abandoned by the fleeing insurgents during the operation.
The report also disclosed that troops of the 232 Battalion Tactical arrested a suspected ISWAP informant at Garaha Market in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
In the North-West, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA reportedly confronted armed bandits moving with rustled cattle in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
According to the report, the bandits retreated after coming under intense military firepower.
In Kogi State, troops of Operation MESA rescued a woman and her two children who had been abducted along the old Obajana-Jakura-Tajimi Road in Lokoja Local Government Area.
The victims were said to have been kidnapped on July 29 from a Ruga settlement in the Gada-Biyu area of the state.
Meanwhile, troops of Operation Enduring Peace responded to an attack on a herder in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Although the attackers fled before the arrival of security personnel, the deceased herder and recovered cattle were handed over to the victim’s family.
The military also recorded breakthroughs in the South-East under Operation UDO KA, where troops arrested three suspected terrorists linked to the ambush of soldiers in Imo State on May 4.
The arrests followed intelligence gathered from previously apprehended suspects during operations conducted in Delta and Imo states.
The report said troops recovered four AK-47 rifles, one FN rifle, a pistol, 11 AK-47 magazines, two FN magazines, 239 rounds of assorted ammunition, a fragmentation jacket and other military equipment from terrorist hideouts.
It added that some of the recovered weapons were among those stolen during the May ambush on troops, while further exploitation led to the discovery of another terrorist camp stocked with additional arms and ammunition.
The Army said the operations formed part of sustained efforts to dismantle terrorist networks, rescue kidnapped victims and restore security across the country.
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