Nigerian Forces Kill Dozens in Bid to Take Back Terrorist Strongholds…Gunmen Kidnap Teenage Girls…Nigerian Military Kills 2 Terrorist Leaders…and others.
● Massive Military Assault in Nigeria Leaves 90+ Terrorists Dead
The Nigerian military says it has killed more than 90 terrorists in a series of operations targeting notorious bandit leaders in Zamfara State, Northwest Nigeria. The offensive, dubbed “Operation Show No Mercy,” focused on clearing strongholds controlled by bandits loyal to Bello Turji.
During a battle at Tungan Fulani Hills—a heavily fortified terrorist hideout in northwestern Nigeria used for arms smuggling and ambush operations—troops eliminated more than 50 insurgents, while approximately 24 fled with critical injuries.
“The time for hiding is over. Bello Turji, Sani Black, and their fighters must either surrender unconditionally or face total annihilation,” a military source, who spoke to Zagazola Makama, said. “There will be no negotiations, no safe havens, and no escape routes.”
Another operation in Mashema, a rural district in Zamfara long dominated by armed groups, saw the military take down 44 terrorists, including key commanders. Despite facing IED threats and stiff resistance. The Nigerian army reported no casualties.
The military has vowed to maintain pressure. “This operation will not stop until every terrorist camp is destroyed, every leader is neutralized, and every fugitive is brought to justice,” an official stated.
● Gunmen Kill Community Guard, Take Teenage Girls in Daring Attack
Nigerian media reported over the weekend that gunmen attacked Pandogari, a community in Niger State’s Rafi County, last Wednesday, killing a local citizen guard and kidnapping several girls.
However, reports conflict on the number of victims. Local sources say six girls, aged 15 to 17, were abducted, whereas County Chairman Ayuba Usman Katako stated, “they abducted eight people. Fortunately, four later escaped.”
The attackers, reportedly in large numbers, entered through the Birnin Gwari axis, a volatile area on the Kaduna–Niger border notorious for bandit activities, before taking the victims to Kwangel Forest, located along the Niger-Kaduna border, a known criminal hideout.
The attack comes amid rising insecurity across Nigeria. State lawmaker Zubairu Isma’ila Zannan Kwangoma warned that 122 people have been kidnapped and two killed in Rafi County in the past month.
● Nigeria’s Drug Chief Calls for Death Penalty for Traffickers
The head of Nigeria’s drug regulatory agency is pushing for the death penalty for drug peddlers whose actions lead to deaths, especially among children.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), called for tougher laws, arguing that current penalties are too lenient.
She cited a case where an offender caught importing dangerous doses of Tramadol received just five years in prison or a ₦250,000 ($165) fine. “Who wouldn’t pay a fine of ₦250,000 and go on to commit the same offense?” Adeyeye asked.
She stressed the need for stricter penalties to deter the sale of harmful and substandard drugs by those she called “merchants of death.”
Adeyeye’s request comes as Nigeria continues to battle counterfeit drugs, a growing threat to public health.
● Nigerian Military Kills 2 Top Terror Leaders
The Nigerian military has killed two notorious terrorist leaders, Kachalla Gwammade and Kachalla Shehu, in a major operation in Zamfara State.
Gwammade was an associate of the late kingpin Kachalla Sani Black.
Chief of Defense Staff General Christopher Musa confirmed their deaths on Friday, Feb. 7. Troops and local civilian defense guards engaged the terrorists in a fierce gun battle, killing six and seizing firearms and motorcycles.
Gwammade and Shehu were among those who fell to the military’s bullets. Gen. Musa praised security forces, according to The Guardian. The Defense Chief was quoted as saying, “This event has enabled us to reflect on our collective efforts and the attendant challenges faced in addressing the security situation in our country.”
● Lawmaker Awards Scholarships to Survivors of 2021 School Kidnapping
Five survivors of the 2021 Bethel Baptist High School kidnapping in Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria, have been awarded full scholarships by federal lawmaker Sunday Katung, The Punch reports.
The students were among 121 pupils abducted by bandits on July 5, 2021, in one of the worst school attacks in Kaduna State. Most of the students were later released in batches after ransom payments, while some escaped on their own.
Announcing the scholarship at a fundraising event for the school’s rebuilding, Katung pledged that his education foundation would cover their education from high school through university.
“From today, my education foundation will take full responsibility for their education from now up to the university level,” Katung said.
The 2021 attack was part of a series of school kidnappings in Kaduna.
What’s News Today? February 10, 2025, compiled by Ezinwanne Onwuka for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
