Nigerian troops have intercepted over 2,000 cows after a fierce gun battle with armed bandits in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, it is gathered.
Before the interception, the bandits, numbering over 500 from the Birnin-Gwari axis, of Kaduna State, in a convoy of about 100 motorcycles, had raided several communities in Mariga.
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A local community leader, Adamu Warari said that the bandits, wielding dangerous weapons, had operated ‘freely’ in several communities, razing places of worship, looting houses, killing men, abducting women, and rustling cattle before security agencies were alerted.
Adamu Warari said, “The bandits came through Birnin-Gwari crossing to Mariga, Kasuwan Garba, part of Kontagora, Kwimo and then cross Magadan Daji, Yungo, Argida and Chubadi where they continued to mop up hundreds of cattle before they were intercepted by troops from Bangi at Kwimo”.
Confirming the development, a defence intelligence source said that the military air task force and ground troops, in a coordinated operation, intercepted the bandits and the cattle in the Bangi axis, before they could move them to a forest in Birnin-Gwari.
“Upon receiving intelligence on the movement of the bandits with the rustled cows, aircraft from the Nigerian Airforce as well as ground troops of the Nigerian Army in Warari, but stationed in Bangi, were mobilised.
“The NAF jet bombed their escape routes leading to their hideouts while the ground troops shell the terrorists from vantage positions. Scores of the bandits were killed while two very gallant soldiers sustained injury and they are currently recuperating at a medical facility,” the Defence source said.