Troops Repel Bandits Attack in Katsina, Rescue Abductees in Kogi
Nigerian Army troops were locked in fierce confrontations with armed bandits over the weekend, repelling an attack in Katsina State and engaging in a risky rescue mission in Kogi, with local volunteers sustaining injuries in both operations.
In Katsina, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji—supported by police personnel, vigilantes, and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF)—foiled a raid on Dogon Awo village in Faskari Local Government Area on Sunday. The bandits, who stormed the area heavily armed, were engaged in an intense gun battle before being forced to retreat into the forest.
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Despite the successful pushback, the attackers managed to rustle cattle grazing on the village outskirts. One CJTF operative, identified as Musa Abubakar, was shot in the leg during the pursuit and is currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Funtua. Security sources also confirmed that four villagers remain missing, with search-and-rescue efforts underway.
In a separate operation, troops launched a mission to free two seminarians abducted from the Ivianakpodi Minor Seminary in Agenebode, Edo State. Intelligence had traced the victims to the Alarke village axis near Awara in Kogi State. At dawn on Sunday, a joint team of soldiers, vigilantes, and local hunters advanced into the suspected hideout but were ambushed in the rocky hills of Alarke.
During the clash, a 30-year-old hunter, Mohammed Abubakar, was shot in the thigh and rushed to Cross Nations Consultant Hospital in Lokoja for treatment. Military authorities confirmed that the rescue operation remains ongoing, praising the courage of local vigilantes and hunters who continue to support counter-insurgency efforts.
The twin incidents highlight the persistent threat posed by armed groups across Nigeria’s north-central and northwestern regions, as well as the critical but perilous role of community volunteers who assist the military in combating insecurity.
By PRNigeria
