Special Operation in Zamfara State: Police Kill 104 armed bandits, destroy 50 hideouts; recover 500 cattle

Against the backdrop of armed bandits killings in Zamfara State, the Police has sent 104 bandits to the grave beyond while about 50 hideouts operated by the bandits have been destroyed.

In an update on the operation, the Police at Force headquarter said the joint intervention force led by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in Charge Operations, DIG Joshak Habila on the 29th November, 2018, killed 104 Bandits, destroyed (50) bandits hideouts in three camps, recovered over 500 cattle and 79 sheep in Zamfara state while one Police Officer was killed.

It would be recalled that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris recently deployed 100 police personnel comprising, counter terrorism unit, additional police mobile, Federal SARS personnel, 3 surveillance patrol helicopters to Zamfara state and the DIG Operations to coordinate the onslaught on the bandits

The statement signed by the Force PRO, Acting DCP Jimoh Moshood said, “The Police Joint Operation Team at about 1600hrs, 29th November, 2018, repelled ambush attacks from Armed Bandits at Birnin Mogaji Village, Zurmi LGA of Zamfara State and in the process killed One Hundred and Four (104) Bandits, destroyed over Fifty (50) bandits hideouts in Three (3) Camps, recovered over Five Hundred (500) Cattle and Seventy Nine (79) Sheep from the Bandits, but unfortunately loss a Policeman during the attacks.

“The Police Team has restored normalcy and peace in the affected areas.

“The Inspector General of Police on 9th November, 2018, deployed Police Joint Intervention Team of about One Thousand (1000) Police personnel comprising the Seven (7) Units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Police Anti-Bomb (EOD) Squad, and conventional Policemen to Zamfara State to rout-out, arrest and prosecute Armed Bandits, Vicious Kidnap for Ransom and Cattle Rustling Gangs operating in some parts of the State.

“The Team have recorded significant progress in the arrest of more than Eighty-Five (85) suspects, recovered Twenty Seven (27) AK47 Rifles and Fifty-Two (52) locally fabricated rifles and other dangerous weapons, Two Hundred and Sixty-Nine (269) Cattle, One Hundred and Nine (109) Sheep already handed over to their owners.

“Consequent on the ambush attacks on the Police Joint Team which were successfully repelled by the Police Team, the Inspector General of Police yesterday, 29th November, 2018 deployed DIG Department of Operations to Zamfara State to be the overall commander of the Police Joint Intervention Force and add new impetus to the Operations.

“The DIG has already arrived in Zamfara State overnight with Hundreds of Police Special Forces Personnel, Counter Terrorism Units (CTU), additional Police Mobile Force (PMF), Federal SARS Personnel, Three (3) Surveillance Patrol Helicopters and crew members to Zamfara State to coordinate the operation to completely rout-out all Armed Bandits from Zamfara and other contiguous States.

“The DIG, Department of Operation and the Police Joint Team have been mandated to also coordinate the Commissioner of Police, Zamfara State and personnel of the Command to sustain and restore lasting peace throughout Zamfara State.

“Parade of some of the suspects arrested before the media and public will be done soon.

“Members of the public with any information or in distress in any part of Zamfara State should call the following Police Joint Intervention Control Centre through the following numbers 08037025670, 08033210966, 08033312261, 08123829666, 09053872244, 07082351758, 08091914752”

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