Troops of the 18 Brigade have intensified offensive operations against terrorists and other criminal elements in Niger State, rescuing nine kidnapped victims, foiling an attempted attack, and recovering weapons, motorcycles and rustled livestock.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Headquarters 18 Brigade, Captain Adebayo Samuel Adewumi, the operations were carried out across Mariga and Rijau Local Government Areas.
According to the statement, troops of the Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC) Administrative Battalion deployed at Kotonkoro rescued the nine kidnapped victims during sustained offensive operations in Mariga LGA on August 12. The victims were handed over to Mariga Local Government authorities for documentation and reunification with their families.
On the same day, troops on a fighting patrol in the Warari general area of Rijau LGA reportedly cleared a terrorist ambush and recovered seven motorcycles, one camel, 47 cattle and 18 sheep suspected to have been rustled from nearby communities. The recovered livestock were handed over to the appropriate authorities.
Earlier, on August 10, troops of the Brigade’s Quick Response Force, working alongside personnel of the 311 Artillery Regiment and the Chief of Army Staff Special Intervention Battalion X, foiled an attempted terrorist attack on Inana Village and nearby Majal and Tunga Bisallah communities in Rijau LGA.
The Army said the troops acted on credible intelligence and intercepted the terrorists as they attempted to infiltrate the communities. The attackers reportedly fled into a nearby forest on motorcycles after sighting the troops, with some believed to have sustained gunshot wounds during the ensuing engagement.
During follow-up operations, troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, an empty magazine, ammunition of various calibres and one motorcycle, while six other motorcycles were destroyed.
The Commander of the 18 Brigade commended the troops for their courage, resilience and professionalism, urging them to sustain the offensive against terrorist and criminal elements.
He also encouraged troops to continue working with local communities by leveraging credible intelligence to disrupt criminal activities, noting that the successes reflect the Chief of Army Staff’s directive to intensify operations and deny terrorists freedom of action across the brigade’s area of responsibility.
