In a coordinated effort between the Nigerian Army, a hybrid force, and the civilian joint task force, three suspected terrorists were killed during a raid on their hideouts in the Timbuktu triangle within the Lake Chad Region.
The operation also resulted in the recovery of a machine gun, a mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle, a gun truck equipped with an anti-aircraft gun, and a cache of arms and ammunition.
According to a statement released on Friday by the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, upon encountering the troops on Wednesday, the terrorists engaged them in a fierce confrontation but were ultimately overwhelmed.
The statement highlighted, “During the operation, insurgents launched attacks against our troops using a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, mortars, gun trucks, and motorcycles. However, they succumbed to the superior firepower of the troops, abandoning their stronghold, weaponry, and equipment in disarray.”
The operation dealt a significant blow to the insurgents, with the gallant troops neutralizing three terrorists and confiscating one MRAP, one gun truck, one Dushka machine gun, one AK-47 rifle, and one locally fabricated gun.
Additionally, the troops seized one rocket-propelled grenade bomb, 273 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one pumping machine, 65 Dushka links, 48 general-purpose machine gun links, and three motorcycles.
In a separate operation carried out in Nasarawa, troops eliminated one criminal and recovered dangerous weapons.
Furthermore, troops from Operation Safe Haven, a specialized military task force responsible for maintaining peace in Plateau and parts of Bauchi and Kaduna states, detained 271 suspects for various offenses within their operational areas.
Speaking on Friday in Jos, the Deputy Commander of OPSH, DCP Terzungwe Iyela, disclosed that the troops also seized 1,161 rounds of ammunition and rescued 79 kidnap victims during the review period.
DCP Iyela elaborated that the arrests were made in connection with offenses such as kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry, and other crimes, underscoring the operation’s commitment to restoring peace and security in the region.
