No fewer than fifteen bandits, alongside their gang commander, Dankarami popularly known as Jarfa have been neutralized by troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in Birinin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Newsmen gathered that the bandits planned to unleash terror attacks on Gidan Danjimma and Kirifada communities on Wednesday, when the military operatives in conjunction with local vigilantes successfully repelled them.
The bandits are said to have conducted the burial of their deceased members at a graveyard in Mai Tsaba village, under Zurmi Local Government Area of the state.
According to a resident of Kirifada village, who did not want his name in print, the bandits attacked the communities on Wednesday.
He, however, said that the military operatives immediately swung into action, resulting in the death of 15 of the bandits.
“Unnumbered armed bandits sustained various degrees of injuries and escaped into the forest”, he added.
Newsmen learnt that two soldiers and four local vigilante members sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries during the fierce battle.
Meanwhile, a reliable Army source said that troops also rescued some kidnapped commuters who were abandoned by the bandits.
“The troops while on patrol acted on intelligence report about bandits who blocked the Danbasa – Bini road in order to kidnap commuters, but the military operatives quickly moved to the scene and engaged the bandits in gun dwells leading to the neutralization of two bandits while others fled,” he said.
It was also learnt that when the military operatives pursued the fleeing terrorists, 1 AK-47 rifle and a motorcycle was recovered from the criminal elements.
Reacting to the operation, the Commander, Joint Task Force, Northwest, Operation Hadarin Daji, Major General Godwin Mutkut commended the troops and called on the public to continue to provide vital and timely information to the right security authorities.