The Nigerian Army has reported the successful elimination of a notorious terrorist leader, Maikusa, purportedly the second-in-command in the terrorist hierarchy in Katsina State, operating under the leadership of another notorious figure known as Modi Modi.
In a statement issued by Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, on Tuesday, it was revealed that troops engaged in a counter-insurgency operation in Kurfi and Safana Local Government Areas of the state gunned down Maikusa along with three other terrorists during a shootout on Monday, March 4, 2024.
The statement indicated that despite encountering fierce resistance from the violent extremists, the troops successfully overpowered the terrorists with superior firepower, resulting in the neutralization of some and the dispersal of others.
Following the operation, the troops recovered two AK-47 rifles, three magazines, 65 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition, a locally fabricated gun, and camouflage uniform from the scene.
Furthermore, in the course of clearance operations, the troops destroyed terrorists’ camps in several villages including Wurma, Shaiskawa, Yauni, Dogon Marke in Kurfi LGA, as well as Ummadau and Zakka villages in Safana LGA.
This development comes after the Defence Headquarters confirmed the killing of four notorious terrorist commanders in air strikes on December 16, 2023. Among those eliminated were Machika, Haro, Dan Muhammadu, and Ali Alhaji Alheri, also known as Kachalla Ali Kawaje. Machika was identified as a top terrorist bomb expert and the younger brother of another notorious terrorist, Dogo Gide, while Haro and Dan Muhammadu were specialists in kidnapping and assault operations, respectively.