By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto
Scores of suspected bandits have reportedly been killed in a major military clearance operation in Maikujera town, Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State, as Nigerian Army troops intensify efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating across the state’s forests and border communities.
The operation, which was still ongoing as of Friday, reportedly recorded significant success as troops deployed Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and other military assets to confront the armed groups believed to have established routes through the area for the movement of rustled cattle.
Credible local sources told our correspondent that the troops gained the upper hand during the engagement, forcing several of the suspected bandits to abandon their positions and flee into surrounding farms and thick vegetation.
The sources said the bandits attempted to use rustled cattle as human shields during the confrontation, resulting in the death and dispersal of a significant number of the livestock. The remaining cattle were said to have scattered into nearby forests as the military operation intensified.
Investigations further revealed that the suspected bandits were allegedly linked to the network of notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji and had been using the Maikujera axis as a transit corridor for moving stolen cattle from Gandi town and adjoining communities in Rabah LGA.
The stolen livestock were reportedly being moved through the vast Gundumi forest towards suspected hideouts in Sabon Birni and Isa Local Government Areas, highlighting the strategic importance of the ongoing military operation in disrupting criminal movements across the interconnected forest corridors.
A resident of Maikujera, who spoke to our correspondent by telephone, said the military had deployed substantial personnel and equipment in pursuit of the fleeing bandits.
“Some of the bandits abandoned their rifles and escaped into nearby farms, taking advantage of the thick vegetation to conceal themselves,” the source said.
Another source said some of the surviving bandits repeatedly attempted to escape by ascending a nearby hill after coming under sustained pressure from the troops, but the military continued its pursuit.
The development has triggered cautious relief among residents of Maikujera and surrounding communities, many of whom have lived under persistent fear of bandit attacks, cattle rustling and other criminal activities associated with armed groups operating in the region.
Confirming the military operation, the Spokesperson of the Nigerian Army’s 8 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, described it as a “hugely successful operation,” while stating that comprehensive details would be made public in due course.
The operation is reportedly continuing with troops conducting mop-up activities in surrounding bushes and along strategic routes linking Rabah, Sabon Birni and Isa LGAs, in an effort to prevent fleeing criminals from regrouping or escaping into other communities.
Residents have consequently called on the military and other security agencies to sustain the offensive beyond the immediate operation, arguing that only persistent pressure, intelligence-led operations and effective control of the forest corridors can prevent the bandits from re-establishing their camps and threatening communities again.
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