Troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Lokoja, on Saturday, January 3, 2026, recorded significant operational successes following coordinated patrols and ambush operations conducted in Kabba Bunu and Yagba West Local Government Areas of Kogi State.
In a statement issued by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, the troops acted on credible intelligence regarding the movement of bandits from the Adankolo area towards Agbadu Bunu in Kabba Bunu LGA. Acting swiftly, the soldiers were deployed to identified crossing points where they laid a tactical ambush.
According to the statement, the bandits ran into the troops’ ambush and were promptly engaged. During the encounter, two bandits were neutralised, while one AK-47 rifle was recovered by the troops.
The statement further revealed that additional intelligence pointed to another movement of bandits around Saminaka village in Yagba West LGA. In response, troops, in collaboration with local vigilantes, conducted patrols in the village and adjoining forested areas.
Upon arrival, Saminaka village was found deserted, prompting the troops to dismount and comb the surrounding forests and routes leading towards the Saminaka–Sabo Rijiya road. During the operation, the troops encountered several bandits and engaged them.
In the course of the operation, the troops also arrested a suspected bandit logistics supplier identified as Sunday Adedotun, a native of Odo Eri village in Yagba West LGA. The suspect was apprehended on a farmland within Saminaka village, where he claimed he was assisting farmers to transport produce from their farms.
Items recovered from the suspect included cartons of energy drinks and soft drinks, bottled water, and harvested farm produce, believed to be intended for bandits operating in the area. The suspect is currently in military custody and undergoing further investigation.
Commending the troops, the Commander of 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Kasim Umar Sidi, praised their professionalism, courage, and swift response to actionable intelligence. He noted that the successful operations reflect the troops’ high level of commitment to duty.
Brigadier General Sidi assured residents of Kogi State that the Nigerian Army would continue to sustain aggressive patrols, ambushes, and intelligence-driven operations to deny criminal elements freedom of action and ensure the safety of lives and property within the brigade’s area of responsibility.
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