A “bandit kingpin” named Jabi Ruwa and some suspected gang members were detained by Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD) troops in the Sokoto State village of Dambala, while a separate operation in Zamfara State resulted in the death of one bandit.
According to a senior military source who requested anonymity, the arrests in Sokoto were made on Friday as part of an ongoing clearance operation to purge the North-West of banditry, kidnapping, and other heinous crimes.
Following reliable leads, the troops raided bandit hideouts in the states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, and Zamfara. As a result, some suspected members of the Ruwa’s gang who were hiding in the Sokoto village of Dambala were apprehended.
The troops of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Gwadabawa and Troops of Raka in Sokoto, in conjunction with local guides, immediately mobilised to Dambala village, where Jabi Ruwa and four other of his members were apprehended, the source revealed.
All arrested persons are currently undergoing preliminary investigation.
In another sustained clearance operation, troops of OPHD cleared bandits’ enclaves and thoroughfare routes at Sangeko, Kabugu Lamba, Kaboro and Mairairai villages in the Maru Local Government of Zamfara State.
It was gathered that during the process, troops came in contact with armed bandits at notorious bandit leader Alhaji Ilu’s hideout at Sangeko, Kabagon Lamba, Danmani, and Kaboro villages under Maru LGA.
The troops engaged the armed bandits in a gun battle which forced the bandits to flee. While one bandit was neutralised, others escaped with gunshot wounds, it was learnt.
Troops maintained aggressive patrols within the villages to eliminate other bandits and deny them freedom of action within the area.
The Commander, Joint Task Force North-West, Operation Hadarin Daji, Major General Godwin Mutkut, who also doubles as the General Officer Commanding 8 Division, commended the troops and charged them to maintain the momentum.
