It also said that its troops cleared insurgents and violent extremists from several hideouts, rescued kidnapped victims and recovered several weapons.
The Nigerian Army has said that its troops of 1 Division Nigerian in coordinated offensives in Kaduna and Niger states in the North killed 14 terrorists.
It also said that its troops cleared insurgents and violent extremists from several hideouts, rescued kidnapped victims and recovered several weapons.
The Acting Deputy Director, Army Relations, 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, who made this known in a statement issued on Sunday said that in Niger State, troops on Saturday set out to clear the remnant of insurgent elements in the state and made contact at Madawaki in the Shiroro Local Government Area of the state where they killed two terrorists while others fled with gunshot wounds.
Yahaya said that the troops recovered two AK rifles, two AK rifle magazines and one motorcycle during the operation.
He stated that the troops proceeded to the camp of the terrorist leader reported to have been eliminated, Ali Kachalla, but his foot soldiers fled.
Yahaya said, “Search of the camp led to the rescue of 13 kidnap victims, all males. The victims revealed to have been abducted in Niger State on October 13, 2023. Items recovered from the camp included an international passport suspected to belong to a high-profile affiliate of the insurgents.
“A few military and warlike accessories were also discovered at the camp. Rescued persons were taken to a military medical facility for medical attention and subsequently reunited with their families.”
He said that the troops further moved to another camp dominated by terrorist leader, Alhaji Laye, but the troops recovered four AK-47 rifle magazines when they searched the camp which was reportedly deserted and abandoned.
“The camp was destroyed and troops returned to Madawaki where an insurgents’ storehouse was discovered with assorted soft drinks, cartons of bottled water, liquid peak milk and energy drinks. Other items discovered in the storehouse were generator and foodstuff. All the items and the camp were destroyed in situ,” the statement said.
Yahaya further stated that in a follow-up operation in Kaduna State, troops of the Division killed three insurgents at Maidaro in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area on Saturday and recovered one AK-47 rifle, one AK-47 rifle magazine, one Dane gun and two motorcycles.
He also stated that in the Kidandan-Yadi general area of Birnin Gwari, the troops’ offensive also led to the destruction of the insurgents’ camp, while troops killed five insurgents and recovered 12 motorcycles during the fight.
Similarly, troops operating at the Kachia axis on Thursday in response to a kidnap incident reportedly launched an ambush along Maro Junction and made contact with the kidnappers.
The statement said in the fight that ensued, troops killed three of the kidnappers while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
He said the troops recovered the sum of N15,000, two mobile phones, one motorcycle and two cutlasses and rescued a 25-year-old man identified as Mr Rabiu Ahmed who was rushed to a nearby military hospital where he was subsequently treated and his dispossessed items returned to him.
He has reunited with his family, the army said in the statement.
In the same vein, Yahaya stated that troops of 1 Division in the early hours of Sunday while acting on credible intelligence, ambushed terrorists at Kwanar Batero in Kaduna State and killed one terrorist.
He said they also recovered one AK-47 rifle, one magazine, five rounds of 7.62 mm, three motorcycles and one Baofeng radio.
He said, “The General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army and Force Commander Operation WHIRL PUNCH, Major General Valentine Okoro, has expressed satisfaction with the successes recorded in the operations.
“He commended the troops for the feat and charged them to continue to deny all insurgents and criminal elements in the Division's Area of Responsibility freedom of action.”