Nigerian troops have killed eight terrorist fighters and rescued 16 kidnapped hostages in sweeping operations against terrorists and insurgents in different parts of the country.
The Nigerian Army, in a post on its official X-Handle on Monday, said the troops recovered a haul of firearms during the operations.
The post said that troops had on Sept. 22, thwarted an attempt by terrorists to raid some villages in Borno for supplies and logistics and eliminated three assailants.
According to the army, troops recovered one light machine gun, one AK-47 rifle, two hand grenades, five AK-47 rifle magazines, 200 linked Rounds of light Machine Gun and other materials, including money and phones.
The army also revealed that in another clash, while acting on credible information, troops cornered terrorists escorting abducted victims through Uvaha village in Gwoza Local Government Area.
“In spite of heavy rainfall, the troops went after the terrorists and eliminated one of them, forcing the others to flee, leaving behind 16 hostages.
“Among the freed victims were 10 men and six women. A follow-up search of the area uncovered two grenades, a bag of fish and sundry items.
“Meanwhile, in Yobe, troops set up a well-planned ambush while acting on intelligence about a group of terrorists receiving supplies from their collaborators.
“This led to the neutralization of four terrorists in Madza and Azare villages of Gujba Local Government Area.
“The soldiers captured two AK-47 rifles and two empty AK-47 rifle magazines, as well as other sundry items,” it said.
The post revealed that troops deployed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in synergy with other security agencies activated a stop and search operation on suspected vehicles and apprehended suspects at Kugbo, Abuja.
According to the post, a search conducted on the suspect led to the recovery of 178 rounds of 7.62 mm (Special) ammunition concealed in a bag of flour.
“Also recovered from the suspect is a mobile phone and the sum of ₦29,000.
“All these efforts underscore the Nigerian Army’s unflinching dedication to wiping out terrorism, insurgency, and sundry crimes.
“The public is encouraged to keep sharing tips and useful information with security forces for prompt action,” he said. (NAN)