The Defence Headquarters says troops have rescued 36 abducted persons and killed several terrorists in fresh operations across the country.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday on military operations conducted between August 31 and September 3.

He said the operations targeted terrorists, kidnappers, arms traffickers, criminal networks and secessionist elements across various theatres.

Onoja said troops of Operation HADIN KAI sustained counter-terrorism operations in Borno and Yobe, neutralising terrorists and disrupting their logistics networks.

He said troops killed one terrorist on September 1 after detonating an IED along the Miyanti-Banki Junction main supply route in Bama, Borno.

According to him, troops recovered a rifle, ammunition and an IED initiator after the operation.

He said “Another terrorist was killed during an encounter at Lamusuri Crossing Point in Gujba, Yobe, with a rifle and ammunition recovered.”

Onoja said troops also intercepted a terrorist escapee around Sabsawa, Bama, on August 31 after he fled captivity due to hunger and hardship.

He said troops arrested a suspect in Konduga for conveying foodstuffs allegedly destined for a terrorist enclave in Bama.

According to him, troops also arrested a suspected former terrorist fighter turned informant in Damasak, Mobbar, on September 1.

He said several terrorist fighters surrendered between September 1 and 2, while suspected logistics suppliers, informants and spies were arrested.

Onoja said 21 women and children surrendered to troops in Mafa, Dikwa, on September 2 following clashes between rival terrorist factions.

He added that another terrorist escapee was intercepted near Amuda Bridge, Gwoza, while a suspected terrorist spy was arrested along the Kauwa-Kukawa Road.

Onoja said troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA sustained offensive operations against terrorists and kidnappers across Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.

He said troops neutralised two terrorist kingpins and wounded another during a raid on suspected hideouts in Kogo, Matazu, Katsina, on August 31.

According to him, two motorcycles were also destroyed during the operation.

He said troops intercepted a vehicle in Kadage, Giwa, Kaduna, on September 2, containing 793 rounds of ammunition concealed in a sack of grain.

He said one fleeing suspect was neutralised during the operation.

Onoja said troops also ambushed terrorists riding motorcycles at Kwanar Jolof along the Shinkafi-Zurmi axis in Zamfara.

He said troops recovered “an RPG launcher, rifle, ammunition and other items, while several terrorists were killed.”

The defence spokesman said troops rescued six abducted victims transiting from Ayu Market in Mehinua, Wasagu, Kebbi, on September 2.

He said another 23 abducted civilians, comprising three men and 20 women, were rescued from the outskirts of Wuya, Anka, Zamfara, on September 3.

According to him, the victims had been held by their abductors for about three weeks and were evacuated for medical attention.

He said troops also rescued two abducted victims along the Dandume-Birnin Gwari Road in Sabuwa, Katsina, recovering two motorcycles.

Onoja said troops subsequently conducted offensive operations in Tsamiya, Gandaba Gabas, Karradai, Zamoria, Tumunna and Bilange Forest in Tangaza, Sokoto.

He said a “terrorist camp was destroyed, while military uniforms, identification cards and a rifle were recovered.”

He added that troops recovered a locally fabricated rifle near Maikujera in Rabah, Sokoto, believed to have been concealed by terrorists after an August 28 ambush.

In the North Central, Onoja said troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE engaged two suspected terrorists on a motorcycle along the Gbise-Igyudu Road in Katsina-Ala, Benue, on September 2.

He said one terrorist was killed while the other escaped, with troops recovering a pistol, rifle magazine, ammunition and charms.

Onoja said troops also compelled kidnappers to abandon two women abducted in Ajodomodo, Dekina, Kogi, leaving the victims unharmed in Agbodakodo Forest.

He said troops conducted clearance operations in Peva, Takum, Taraba, on September 3, targeting a wanted gang leader’s hideout.

According to him, “five gang members were arrested and ammunition and other items recovered, while the gang leader remained at large.”

Onoja said troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE arrested a suspected kidnapping informant in Sabon Gida, Sanga, Kaduna, on September 3.

He added that troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD “rescued five male kidnap victims from farms along the Kotonkoro-Bangi Road in Mariga, Niger.”

He said troops also apprehended a “suspected terrorist fighter with gunshot wounds in Gaa Ali Awere, Ifelodun, Kwara.”

In the South-East, Onoja said troops of Operation UDO KA arrested two suspects in Mbosi, Ihiala, Anambra, on September 1 for allegedly providing medical treatment to secessionist elements.

He said troops also raided the Iva Valley Coal Mine in Enugu North on September 2, “arresting a suspected member of a secessionist syndicate.”

According to him, the suspect was allegedly involved in orchestrating attacks against security agencies.

Onoja said the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, commended troops across all theatres for their gallantry and resilience.

He said Oluyede also commended the synergy between the military, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, local security groups and other stakeholders.

According to him, the CDS urged members of the public, traditional rulers and community leaders to continue providing credible information to security agencies.

He reassured Nigerians that the Armed Forces would sustain operations until peace, stability and security were restored across the country.

Source: punchng.com

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

INSTAGRAM

A former Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Shehu Buba, is again facing allegations of supporting banditry as he struggles to clear his name.

Findings by Saturday PUNCH showed that Buba, who represents Bauchi South Senatorial District in the Senate, has since 2024 faced allegations of an alleged relationship with suspected bandits, accusations he has consistently denied.

The latest allegations came from a local resident simply known as ‘Hassan’, who accused the senator during an interview with social media influencer, ‘D English Alhaji Media’ (@DEngliishalhaji) of being one of the politicians aiding bandits in the area.

Hassan also alleged that individuals linked to notorious bandit kingpin, Dogo Gide, were brought to Abuja for specialised training, which was allegedly facilitated by an aide of the senator.

But Buba, in an interview published by Albarka Radio in Bauchi on Thursday, accused Hassan of being sponsored by some politicians to tarnish his reputation.

The senator disclosed that he had earlier submitted a formal petition to the Inspector General of Police, adding that four suspects had been arrested and would soon be charged.

According to him, Hassan, who he described as the primary suspect, had fled the country to Niger Republic, where he continued to run live Internet broadcasts allegedly funded by political opponents.

“Those sponsoring him cannot change destiny; if God says I will be, nobody can stop me using social media propaganda against me,” he said.

However, Saturday PUNCH was unable to independently confirm the police action on the matter as the Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, did not answer calls or respond to messages sent to him.

The senator’s phone numbers and that of his media aide, Sabo Muhammad, were switched off for hours, while messages sent to their lines could not be delivered on Friday.

When contacted for steps taken on the development in the state, the Police Public Relations Officer in Bauchi State, Nafiu Habib, said the command could not take a position on the matter in the absence of any formal complaint or petition from the parties involved.

He said, “We have not received any petition by anyone on the said allegation, so we don’t have a stake in the matter.”

Buba’s ally defends senator

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Buba’s ally and Managing Director of Nixon Energy and Nixon Telecoms, Mukhtar Gwarzo, defended the senator, urging relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter.

Gwarzo, who said he had known the senator for more than two decades, stated that the allegations were serious because they touched on national security.

He said the truth must be established “clearly and without fear or favour.”

However, Gwarzo said his personal knowledge of Buba over the years had given him confidence in his character.

“I have known him in quiet moments and in difficult seasons. I have watched his character under pressure. I know the values he carries, the discipline he lives by, and the quiet integrity that has guided his life,” he said.

Gwarzo argued that the senator he knew was different from the person portrayed in the allegations, noting that Buba’s previous responsibilities in the National Assembly demonstrated the level of trust placed in him.

“The man I know is not the man being painted in these stories. If he were the kind of person who would support, protect, or benefit from banditry and terrorism, he would never have been entrusted with one of the most sensitive positions in the National Assembly,” he stated.

The businessman, however, called for an investigation, stressing that he was not asking anyone to disregard the allegations or shield the senator from scrutiny.

He said, “I am not asking anyone to close their eyes. I am not asking for silence. Let every allegation be thoroughly investigated.

“Let the DSS speak clearly. Let the National Assembly examine the matter with the seriousness it deserves. Let the Hajj authorities explain the processes that were followed.”

Gwarzo added that anyone found culpable should face the full weight of the law.

Previous allegations

The latest accusation is not the first time Buba has been linked to allegations concerning suspected bandits.

Our correspondents gathered that the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, sent a petition to President Tinubu dated September 19, 2024, alleging that Buba, through an aide, Yahaya Ibrahim, registered and funded a suspected Zamfara bandit, Abubakar Idris, and one Zainab Gado, for the Hajj pilgrimage.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that Idris was subsequently arrested by the Department of State Services, which also probed the senator.

In the letter, the governor explained that DSS operatives in Bauchi State visited the Bauchi State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board during the 2024 pilgrims’ operations.

They demanded the e-passports of Idris and Gado, both of whom were registered as intending pilgrims.

Gado’s passport had already been released and she had departed for the Hajj, while Idris’ passport was handed over to the DSS.

He was subsequently detained.

According to the report, Idris was suspected of involvement in banditry and kidnapping activities in Zamfara State.

Records available at the Pilgrims Welfare Board, the governor stated, showed that the two individuals were registered through Ibrahim, a senior legislative aide to Senator Buba.

The governor described the development as “deeply worrisome as it suggests the senator’s complicity in supporting, enabling and empowering bandits to cause mayhem and go unscathed.”

A spokesperson for the DSS when contacted by Saturday PUNCH said investigations into allegations against the senator “would be published at the appropriate time, please.”

Attempts to obtain confirmation of the petition from the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the governor, Mukhtar Gidado, and the state Commissioner for Information, Usman Shehu, were unsuccessful.

Neither official responded to calls and messages sent to them as of the time of filing this report.

The allegations have also attracted calls for greater scrutiny of the senator.

A former Minister for Youth and Sport, Solomon Dalung, called for an independent review of the allegations against Buba.

Dalung said the DSS should clarify the status of its investigation, while urging the National Assembly to consider an independent probe given Buba’s former position overseeing the country’s security and intelligence architecture.

He further called on the Hajj authorities to explain how Idris was registered and sponsored for the pilgrimage, saying the senator should either be publicly cleared if the allegations were baseless or held accountable if evidence of wrongdoing was established.

Dalung stressed that “political office, parliamentary status or personal connections should provide no shield against accountability.”

The Bello Turji allegation

It was learnt that in 2025, Sahara Reporters published a report in which the senator was accused of facilitating an alleged peace deal with wanted terror kingpin, Bello Turji.

The report generated controversies over Buba’s stance on the fight against terrorism.

However, Buba’s legal team petitioned the Force Criminal Investigation Department, accusing a group of individuals of criminal conspiracy, defamation, cyberstalking and bullying against the lawmaker.

In the petition dated September 9, 2025, and addressed to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force CID, Buba’s counsel, Musa Ogah, named Hassan, Kibanna AA Square, Jabir Kaura, Ishaq Abubakar (Major), and others as responsible for what it described as a coordinated campaign to tarnish the senator’s reputation.

The petition claimed that the campaign was suspected to have been sponsored by some politicians uncomfortable with Buba’s rising profile in Bauchi South Senatorial District.

The counsel alleged that Hassan was the first to stalk and bully Buba online, accusing him via Facebook and WhatsApp of giving a Kaduna cleric, identified as Assadus Sunna, money in “Ghana-must-go” bags meant for bandits, and of distributing motorcycles to bandits rather than to constituents as claimed.

The petition urged the police to investigate and identify those it suspected of bankrolling the alleged perpetrators, warning that failure to act would embolden further attacks on public office holders.

Source: punchng.com

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

INSTAGRAM