WoldStage Newsonline– The Defence Headquarters has said that troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in conjunction with the Police and vigilante rescued 39 kidnapped Islamiya children from bandits in katsina.
In a statement on Sunday by the Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters, Major General John Enenche, said the children, mostly girls were kidnapped while returning from Maulud programme at Unguwar Al- Kasim village at Dandume.
According to him, “Troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI in conjunction with Police and local vigilante deployed at Dandume LGA of Katsina State received a distress call at about 11:30 PM on 19 December 2020 from locals at Mahuta village that suspected bandits were moving with unconfirmed numbers of Islamiya children mostly girls and rustled cattle.
“The children were returning from Maulud programme at Unguwar Al- Kasim village at Dandume. In reaction to the distress call, troops quickly mobilized to the scene, laid ambush and blocked bandits’ route along Daudawa-Kadisau and road Sheme Mairuwa and Unguwar Audu village.”
He said, “While patiently waiting for the bandits at the ambush and blocking position, troops established contact with bandits and engaged them. During the fierce battle, troops superior fire power forced bandits to abandon the children and the rustled cattle thereby forcing the bandits to flee in disarray into the forest.
“Troops thereafter, searched the general area and rescued the 39 kidnapped girls in addition to the recovery of 8 rustled cattle. The victims have been reunited with their families while the recovered cattle handed to the owners.”
He said the troops had dominated the general area with aggressive patrol to forestall further occurrence.
“The Military High Command commends the gallant troops and other security agencies for their sustained successes. Equally the locals and vigilantes are hereby appreciated for the cooperation in tackling the insecurity in Katsina State,” he said.
In another development, troops of WHIRL STROKE in continuation of efforts to forestall banditry and other criminal activities in the North Central Zone of the Country, neutralize two bandits in Benue
He said, “On 16 December 2020, troops of Operation WHIRL STRIKE, acting on credible intelligence on identified hideout of some of late Gana’s militia gang members in parts of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, conducted a dawn raid on the criminals’ location.
“Troops made contact and engaged the criminals at Adangbe Village in Mbacher Council Ward of the Local Government Area. The superior firepower of the troops forced the armed bandits to flee in disarray.
“However, as troops engaged the criminals in a hot pursuit, 2 of them were neutralized, while another was arrested by the gallant troops.
“During the encounter, 3 locally made rifles l, 21 rounds of 7.62mm Special Ammunition as well as other items including a motorcycle were recovered by the troops. The arrested one has been handed over to the Police for further action.”
