Troops destroy bandits’ camps, rescue kidnap victims in Kwara

Troops of the 22 Armoured Brigade, working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), have recorded major successes in the fight against banditry in Kwara State, dismantling several criminal camps and rescuing kidnapped victims during a series of coordinated operations.

The security offensive, carried out between January 23 and 29, 2026, formed part of Operation Igbo Danu — a targeted military campaign aimed at flushing out terrorist and bandit hideouts across the state.

According to security sources, the troops stormed multiple enclaves used by the criminals, destroying their camps and disrupting their activities. Among the areas hit was Garin Dandi in Ifelodun Local Government Area, widely known as a notorious stronghold for bandits.

General Officer Commanding 2 Division Nigerian Army and Commander Sector 3, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Major General Chinedu Nnebife, said the troops successfully dismantled bandits’ logistics bases and supply systems, dislodging criminals from their strongholds.

He added that fighting patrols led to the neutralisation of one terrorist while others fled with suspected gunshot injuries.

Several abandoned camps and logistics enablers were destroyed, significantly weakening the bandits’ operational capacity.

“Troops, in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser, conducted fighting patrols in several bandit enclaves and successfully neutralised one terrorist, while others fled into the forest with suspected gunshot wounds,” Nnebife said.

He added that soldiers cleared Garin Dandi, a known bandit enclave in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

“During the operation, the bandits’ logistics bases and supply systems were destroyed, leaving the criminals dislodged,” he said.

According to him, troops also stormed remote and previously inaccessible camps.

“Several abandoned camps and logistics enablers were destroyed, significantly degrading the terrorists’ sustainment capability,” the Army commander stated.

“Despite the difficult and restrictive terrain, our troops denied the bandits freedom of movement and intercepted fleeing elements at various blocking positions, leading to the arrest of suspected bandits,” he said.