Kaduna witnessed a coordinated effort as soldiers from 1 Division Nigerian Army and Operation Whirl Punch took down three bandits and confiscated their arms, while the State Police Command conducted a successful rescue mission, saving two clerics.
The Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations 1 Division Nigerian Army, Musa Yahaya in a statement, explained that ‘on 5 November 2023, while on clearance operation in the general area of Maidaro, Ngade, Ahla and Rikau Villages in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area, troops made contact with terrorist and criminal elements. On sighting the troops, the terrorist took to their heels as troops pursued and neutralized two while others escaped with gunshot wounds and abandoned one motorcycle.’
‘Similarly, on 5 November 2023, troops carried out a discreet operation around Tantatu and Antena general area in Chikun Local Government. During the operation, troops neutralized one terrorist, captured one AK 47 rifle, one AK 47 magazine, quantity seven of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition and two techno phones’
‘The General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army and Force Commander Operation Whirl Punch Maj Gen VU Okoro has applauded the troops for their remarkable resilience and charged them to sustain the tempo until all terrorists and criminals in the Division’s Area of Responsibility are completely annihilated. He also appealed to the good people of Kaduna State to continue to avail the Nigerian Army and other security agencies with credible and actionable intelligence,’ Yahyah stated.
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Meanwhile, at around 10:00 AM on November 4, 2023, officers from the Kaduna Police Command’s Kafanchan Divisional Headquarters sprang into action upon receiving a distress call from the Godo-godo Police Outstation. The report revealed the abduction of Reverend Father Andrew Amana from St. Francis Catholic Church in Godo-godo, Jema’a local government area, which took place the previous night, on November 3, 2023, around 10:30 PM, by unidentified gunmen who subsequently transported him to an undisclosed location.
According to ASP Mansir Hassan, who serves as the PPRO for the Kaduna Police Command, law enforcement personnel, in partnership with local vigilantes, pursued the armed individuals to their concealed location within the extensive Dogon kurmi forest. A firefight ensued, with the operatives employing tactical expertise to successfully dislodge the criminals and ensure the unharmed rescue of the clergyman.
‘Two number of suspects, namely; Lawal Muhammad 27 years and Ya’u Hussain 30 years both males of Datti and Dogon kurmi villages respectively were arrested. Equally, an AK-47 rifle loaded with two rounds of live 7.62 X 39mm ammunitions was recovered from the said suspects.’
‘Preliminary investigation reveals that the motive of the armed hoodlums who abducted the reverend father was basically financial since a four million naira ransom has already been agreed with the family of the victim before the Police Operatives struck. The gunmen were four in number thus, two are still at large, though strongly suspected to be nursing gunshot wounds from the violent combat. Hence, the Police Command is calling on the public around that axis to be on the watch for any person or persons nursing suspected bullet injuries and report same to the closest Police station or any security outfit.’
‘The Commissioner of Police Kaduna State Command, CP Musa Yusuf Garba while commending the Operatives for the recorded success, charged them not to relent in denying criminal elements in the State of any operating space. He again called on the members of the public to always be on the lookout for suspicious characters in their area and report them to any nearest security agency,’ he said.