Troops of Operation Thunder Strike have rescued six students of Government Day Secondary School Gwagwada in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State abducted on their way to school on Thursday morning.
The Deputy Director Public Relations of 1 Division Nigeria Army Kaduna, Col. Ezindu Idimah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Kaduna.
Idimah also revealed that three motor boys were rescued while four suspected bandits were neutralized by the troops.
“The Troops who were on routine patrol in the general area received information from a reliable source that some bandits terrorizing the Abuja-Kaduna highway have waylaid some students on their way to school and abducted them.
“Troops immediately swung into action and gave the bandits a hot chase.
“On sighting the troops, the bandits engaged them in a firefight but had to surrender to the superior firepower of the troops.
“Following the firefight, one of the bandits was neutralized while the rest scampered into different directions of the forest with gunshot wounds.”
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He explained that all the students abducted by the bandits were rescued safely and reunited with their families.
Idimah added that one AK47 rifle with seven rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and a pump-action gun with ten cartridges were recovered by the troops.
According to him, the troops are currently combing the entire forest in search of the bandits.
“In a related development, troops also dealt decisively with bandits in an ambush at Soho Gaya in Chikun Local Government Area at about 10 am this morning.
“During the ambush, two bandits were neutralized while one riffle was recovered.
“Additionally, at about 10:45 am troops, pursued bandits into one of the forests in Chukun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“During the pursuit, one of the bandits was neutralized while 2 AK 47 riffles, one pump-action, and 3 Magazines were recovered.
“The success recorded has buoyed up troops morale who expressed enthusiasm in sustaining the onslaught against the bandits and other criminal elements within the Division Area of Responsibility,” Idimah stated.
He added that the General Officer Commanding the Division, Maj.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya has commended the efforts of the troops and urged them to continue to pursue and neutralize bandits in the 1 Division area of responsibility.
He urged the general public to report anybody with a gun wound to security agents around them. (NAN)