Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji have rescued 12 kidnapped persons in Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Director Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Bernard Onyeuko.

He said the troops also killed nine bandits and arrested 14 others adding that victims who have been united with their families include the District Head of Wuya, said to have been kidnapped a week earlier.

According to Onyeuko, 13 houses of the bandits were cleared and set ablaze by troops during clearance operations conducted at Gidan Usman, Gidan Babagoji, Gadauna, Gidan Janari, Kekuwaje, Gidan Sarki, Gardi and Bingi areas of the state.

“Troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI in Zamfara State closed up on bandits in a subsidiary operation CHINGABA in the past week. During the operation, troops successfully released 12 kidnapped Civilians by the bandits, including the District Head of Wuya, who was kidnapped a week earlier”.

“The victims have been united with their families. Also, in other clearance operations conducted at Gidan Usman, Gidan Babagoji, Gadauna, Gidan Janari, Kekuwaje, Gidan Sarki, Gardi and Bingi all in Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, troops killed in contact 9 Bandits and arrested 14 as well as 13 houses of the bandits were cleared and set ablaze by troops”.

“A total of 67 cattle rustled by the bandits were recovered and handed over to the district heads of the communities,” the statement read in part”.

Similarly, troops on patrol at Nasarrawa Village, close to Tunga Haki in Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State intercepted nine suspected bandits and recovered 600 cows and 300 Sheep.

During interrogation, the “bandits confessed to have rustled the animals and were proceeding to Zaria to avert possible arrest by the troop”s.

“The recovered animals are currently in the custody of troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI. The proper handover will be done after an investigation in conjunction with local authorities to confirm the owners.”