Over 60 Bodies Recovered as Army, NAF Pound Bandits in Zamfara Forest
Troops of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), have discovered more than 60 bodies of suspected bandits in Zamfara State following a series of coordinated air and ground operations under Operation FANSAN YANMA, PRNigeria reports.
Military sources revealed that the discovery was made on Monday afternoon at Matseri, in Anka Local Government Area, during exploitation operations conducted by personnel of 1 Brigade and 8 Division Sector 2.
According to Zagazola, the offensive followed intelligence-led air interdictions by NAF on Sunday, which targeted a large concentration of armed fighters reportedly preparing to attack the Nasarawan Burkullu community in Bukuyum LGA.
Read Also:
Guided by air surveillance, troops recovered over 60 corpses and several human remains burnt beyond recognition at one of the strike locations. More than 30 burnt motorcycles and a large cache of rifles destroyed by fire were also recovered.
According to military intelligence, the air strikes were aimed at over 400 terrorists, including several notorious kingpins, who had converged in Makakkari Forest spanning Anka and Bukuyum LGAs. The joint assault is believed to have neutralised over 100 fighters, with many others fleeing with injuries.
“Banditry thrives on fear and impunity. This operation is a clear message that both will be dismantled, one step at a time,” one source said.
Another source disclosed that on Sunday night, surviving bandits attempted to retrieve the corpses of their comrades but were repelled by heavy artillery fire from the troops.
The operation, security sources said, has significantly degraded the criminals’ operational capability and foiled a planned retaliatory attack following recent clashes with security forces.
Troops remain on the ground, conducting clearance and patrol missions to prevent the regrouping of the criminal elements.
By PRNigeria
