Troops kill bandits in Sokoto, rescue 95 Boko Haram captives

Troops of the Operation Lafiya Dole have rescued 95 men, women and children abducted by the Boko Haram terrorists in Kobe, Boboshe, Dubula and Tafana villages of Borno State.

The troops, attached to 112 Task Force Battalion and 22 Brigade in collaboration with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, discovered the victims in some camps at Kobe and Boboshe villages on Saturday.

According the army on Monday, the troops recovered four terrorist flags, two copies of the Quran, one generator and two bicycles from the villages.

Meanwhile, in Dubula and Tafana villages, troops retrieved two boxes filled with Quran, five bicycles and assorted clothing materials.

The military said 24 of the rescued children were administered with polio vaccines by the Nigerian Army Regimental Medical Officers and officials of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.

The villages had been previously unreached during polio vaccination exercise.

The acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, in a statement on Monday, said some of the terrorists fled the camps on sighting troops while a few others were shot dead.

Musa said, “In continuation of the ongoing clearance operation, Halaka Dodo, the troops discovered newly-established camps in Dubula. The following items were recovered: two terrorist flags, two copies of the Quran, one generator and two bicycles. Additionally, 13 women and 26 children were rescued during the operation.

Also in Sokoto troops of the Nigerian Army on Operation Harbin Kunama arrested three bandits’ logistic suppliers and killed scores of bandits in the Sabon Birni Local Government Area of the state.

The army said the bandits were killed on Sunday while its troops were on a “routine aggressive patrol at Burkusuma market in Danboa village.

The three suspects arrested were identified as Mallam Ibrahim, Ashiru Goni and Mamman Taratse.

The army spokesman, Col Sagir Musa, said the troops pursued the bandits to their hideouts killing scores, while others escaped with gunshot injuries.

He said, “In continuation of the ongoing offensive operations against banditry and other criminal activities within Sokoto State and its environs, troops intercepted some notorious bandits’ informants and logistics suppliers at Burkusuma market, all in the Sabon Birni LGA of the state.”