Troops of the 33 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, operating under Operation Wutan Daji, have dismantled bandit strongholds in Bauchi State, rescued kidnapped victims, and recovered a cache of weapons during coordinated clearance operations.
The Army said the offensive targeted enclaves in Kumbodoro Forest and Kumbodoro Village, dealing a significant blow to bandit networks operating in the area.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday night, troops overran several camps, including the notorious Azuge hideouts within the Kumbodoro axis.
Backed by the Air Component, the forces engaged the bandits, neutralising several and destroying key operational bases, thereby weakening their capacity to carry out attacks.
The operation also led to the rescue of eight kidnapped victims.
A subsequent search of the area yielded a range of arms and ammunition including four skeletal rifles, four dane guns, one FN rifle magazine, and one AK-47 magazine, alongside communication devices and other items.
Other recovered materials included boots, helmets, mobile phones, a power bank, a StarTimes decoder, a jackknife, arrows, radio chargers, ATM cards, photographs, an identity card, and suspected security agency uniforms, as well as leg chains.
In a related operation, troops deployed at Duguri, acting on credible intelligence and in collaboration with local vigilantes, recovered 36 cows at Mushen Kura Village.
The Army said the livestock were believed to have been abandoned by fleeing bandits due to sustained military pressure, adding that efforts are underway to return them to their rightful owners.
Reaffirming its commitment, the Nigerian Army said it remains focused on restoring peace and stability through sustained, intelligence-led operations and collaboration with other security agencies and local communities to deny criminal elements any safe haven.
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