Troops of of the Nigerian Army code-named ‘Operation Whirl Punch’ has killed three terrorists during clearance operation in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
This was just as operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command rescued two Clerics.
According to a statement by the acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations of One Mechanised Division, Lt Colonel Musa Yahaya, the troops encountered the terrorists while on a clearance operation at Maidaro, Ngade, Ahla and Rikau Villages in Birnin Gwari LGA on Sunday.
Yahaya explained that the terrorists on sighting the troops, took the their heels, and the troops gave them a hot chase, killing two among them while scores of the hoodlums escaped with gunshot wounds and abandoned one motorcycle.
Similarly, the troops neutralised another terrorist during a discreet operation around Tantatu and Antena general area in the Chikun Local Government. During the operation, the troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, one AK magazine, ammunitions and two phones.
“On 5 November 2023, while on clearance operation in the general area of Maidaro, Ngade, Ahla and Rikau Villages in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area, troops made contact with terrorist and criminal elements. On sighting the troops, the terrorist took to their heels as troops pursued and neutralized two while others escaped with gunshot wounds and abandoned one motorcycle.
“Similarly, on 5 November 2023, troops carried out a discreet operation around Tantatu and Antena general area in Chikun Local Government. During the operation, troops neutralized one terrorist, captured one AK 47 rifle, one AK 47 magazine, quantity seven of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition and two techno phones,” he said.
Yahaya also quoted the the General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army and Force Commander Operation Whirl Punch, Maj Gen VU Okoro to have applauded the troops for their remarkable resilience.
According to him, the GOC charged them to sustain the tempo until all terrorists and criminals in the Division’s Area of Responsibility are completely annihilated.
“He also appealed to the good people of Kaduna State to continue to avail the Nigerian Army and other security agencies with credible and actionable intelligence,” Yahaya added.
Meanwhile, Operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command have rescued a Catholic priest in the Jema’a Local Government Area of the state.
According to the spokesman for the Command, ASP Mansir Hassan, the victim, Reverend Andrew Amana of St Francis Catholic Church Godo-godo, was abducted by gunmen on November 3 and whisked to an unknown destination.
He explained that on getting a distress call about the abduction, police operatives in conjunction with local vigilantes, trailed the gunmen to their hideout in the vast Dogon kurmi forest where a gun duel ensued.
“During the process, the security operatives dislodged the hoodlums and rescued the abducted cleric unhurt,” he added.
The police spokesman disclosed that two suspects, Lawal Muhammad aged 27 and 30-year-old Ya’u Hussain both of Datti and Dogon Kurmi villages were arrested in connection with the abduction of the Catholic priest.
“Equally, an AK-47 rifle loaded with two rounds of live 7.62 X 39mm ammunition was recovered from the said suspects.
“A preliminary investigation by the police reveals that the motive of the bandits who abducted the reverend father was basically financial, since a four million naira ransom has already been agreed with the family of the victim before they were dislodged and arrested by the police.
“The Command while stating that two of the bandits escaped with bullet wounds, however appealed to the public around the area where the incident occurred, to be on the watch for any person or persons nursing suspected bullet injuries and report same to the closest Police station or any other security outfit,” he added.
