Nigeria has sparked up military activities against bandits and kidnappers across the country in an operation that has yielded some dividends, especially the killing of 20 bandits and arrest of many in Zamfara State and parts of Nigeria.
The activities of bandits and kidnappers have made many roads and communities unsafe, mainly in the north and South West of Nigeria, necessitating orders by President Muhammadu Buhari to the military to smoke out the miscreants.
The states most affected are Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Plateau, Ondo, Osun, Niger and Kano states.
Various outfits have been formed by the army, including the Operation Harbin Kunama III, under the Nigerian Army 1 Division Kaduna.
The outfit is reported to have killed 24 bandits, and arrested 61.
The General Officer Commanding the Division, Major.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, said in Kaduna on Thursday that 20 kidnapped victims were rescued in the course of the operation which began on May 10, covering Kaduna, Niger and Kano states.
According to the GOC, a total of 478 livestock consisting of 374 cattle, 104 sheep and goats, 56 assorted arms and 24 motorcycles, as well as N1.1 million and some fake American dollars were also recovered from the suspects.
Yahaya explained that the target of the operation was to block strategic locations at the fringes contiguous to epicentre of banditry activities in Zamfara State.
MM/GIK/APA