Nigeria's army is battling jihadists in the northeast and bandit militias in the northwest
AFP

Troops from the Sixth Brigade of the Nigerian Army have successfully killed five individuals identified as violent extremists in Taraba State.

Additionally, they also seized arms and ammunition. The Nigerian Army's official X handle (formerly known as Twitter) shared the update on Tuesday with photos from the operation. In the photos, the dead bodies of those five individuals can be seen alongside the seized arms and ammunition.

"The troops while acting on actionable intelligence on the plan of the extremists to kidnap some church members returning from church program in Wukari along Tor - Tse and Takum road acted decisively," the army stated.

It added, "Troops of 93 Battalion deployed in Wukari swiftly swung into action and tactically lied in wait for the violent extremists and the Insurgents In the early hours of today 2 April 2024."

According to the Nigerian Army, the troops made "contact with the extremist and engaged them in a fierce gun battle leading to the neutralization of 4 extremists and recovery of 2 AK 47 Rifles, 1 Pump Action Rifle and 2 AK 47 Magazine."

The army shared a similar incident that took place on March 27, while patrolling around Chanchanji Ward of Takum Local Government Area, where the troops engaged with suspected violent extremists.

Troops swiftly engaged the extremists with superior firepower, resulting in the neutralization of one extremist. They also seized a locally made FN Pistol, along with two rounds of 9MM ammunition, and confiscated a mobile phone belonging to the criminal.

This successful operation shows the unwavering commitment of the 6 Brigade to safeguarding the lives and property of citizens, thereby fostering a safer environment for businesses to flourish in the state and its surroundings.

"We implore members of the public to continue supporting the military by providing timely and credible information on any suspicious movement or activities of criminals within the State," it concluded.

The details came after President Bola Tinubu last month gave "full authority" to the Nigerian military to bring to justice anybody found to have been responsible for the deadly attack on armed forces in Delta state that killed 12 soldiers and four army officers.

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