Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara has received 14 AK47 rifles and 10,000 live ammunition recovered from bandits by troops of Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD).
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Brig.-Gen. Aminu Bande, Commander of the OPHD handed the firearms to the governor at the Operation’s headquarters in Gusau.
Bande, who is also the Commanding Officer, 8 Division Sokoto, informed Matawalle that the troops had made life very unbearable to the bandits both in the bushes and along their escape routes.
“This is why many of the unrepentant bandits are lobbying to come and surrender themselves under the state government peace initiative in order to escape the troops’ superior firepower.
“We will continue to engage these criminals until the whole state and its environs are completely secured,” Bande said.
The commander also informed the governor that one General Purpose Machine Gun, three Fabrique Nationale rifles and one AK-47 rifle were surrendered to the troops by some repentant bandits.
The commander attributed the successes to the cooperation given to the troops by the people of the state, especially in divulging credible information that led to breaking up the ranks of the criminals.
Gov. Matawalle lauded efforts of the officers and men of the operation and announced a donation of 190 motorcycles to ease movement of the troops in hard to reach areas where the criminals take refuge.
He said that the state government would soon release an additional 200 vehicles to security outfits in the state to facilitate their operations and rid the state of criminal elements.
NAN reports that criminal activities including banditry, cattle rustling and kidnappings had resurfaced in the state after an initial lull.
The situation provoked aggressive pursuit of the criminals by troops, forcing them to either surrender or leave the state.