April 20, (THEWILL) — An intensified military onslaught against terror-related attacks has recorded major victories in key locations in the Northwest and Northeast, leading to the killing of many terrorists and the dislocation of some of their networks.
In two key states in the N/west, namely Kaduna and Zamfara, renewed attack by troops has led to the death of a notorious terrorist leader identified as Kachalla Auwalu, Auwalu who was linked to the Dogo Gide network, has been killed during a violent clash between rival terrorist factions in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
An operational report made available to THEWILL on Sunday said the incident occurred during an internal confrontation among armed groups operating in the area.
The report indicated that about 12 terrorists were reportedly killed in the encounter.
The Nigerian Army said troops were monitoring the situation closely. In the Gidan Daji village in Maru Local Government Area of Kaduna State troops under Operation Fansan Yamma in Zamfara launched pursuit operations aimed at apprehending the fleeing terrorists. The Army said additional operations were ongoing as part of intensified efforts to dismantle terrorist networks and restore security in affected communities. In the Northeast state of Borno, troops of the Join Task Force, Northeast, Operation Hadin Kai recorded operational gains, including the neutralisation of terrorists, recovery of weapons and disruption of insurgent movements across parts of Borno and Yobe states.
This is contained in an operational report made available on Sunday in Abuja.
“In one of the engagements, troops of 153 Task Force Battalion encountered ISWAP/JAS terrorists mounted on motorcycles along the Kirawa–Sabon Gari–Pulka axis in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno. “The troops engaged the terrorists, neutralised two recovered a handheld radio and two motorcycles,” the report said. It added that troops of 24 Task Force Brigade responded to a report by a forest guard who allegedly shot himself at 1,000 Camp, Dikwa, in the Dikwa Local Government Area.
According to the report, preliminary findings indicated that the deceased may have been under the influence of intoxicants. His weapon was recovered, while the remains were released to his family for burial.
The report stated that troops conducting fighting patrols in Mallam Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area, recovered 166 rounds of PKT ammunition and a bandolier believed to belong to fleeing terrorists. In Yobe State, it said the troops of Battle Group 1 denied terrorists freedom of action during clearance patrols across Karaga Waro, Kachallari, Moduri, Lewanti and surrounding communities in the Bursari Local Government Area.
THEWILL recalls that the violent clash between the rival gangs leading to the death of Auwalu came on the heels of a previous arrest by troops of his second-in-command known simply as “kapapaka” alongside his wife in Gombe State following “an intel from the notorious bandit kingpin, Alti, who had long terrorised communities in Katsina and Zamfara states, has been neutralised by security operatives.
Alti, who had reportedly set up strategic operational bases stretching from the outskirts of Gusau in Zamfara State to communities around Jibiya and Funtua in Kaduna State from where his fighters allegedly carried out frequent kidnappings along the busy Gusau–Funtua highway, regarded as one of the most dangerous routes in the North-West.
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