The Defence Headquarters says no fewer than 410 members of the Darul Salam terror group surrendered to the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke during an encounter at Uttu in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on Tuesday.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
Mr Enenche, a Nigerian army major-general, said the operation was in continuation of aggressive clearance operations aimed at riding the North-Central zone of armed banditry and other forms of criminality.
He said the terrorists who surrendered, following an aggressive operation by troops and other security agencies at identified criminals’ enclaves, included women and children.
Mr Enenche also disclosed that the troops, while on a robust clearance patrol around Uttu, also stormed the terrorists bomb-making factory following intelligence on the activities of the terrorists in the area.
According to him, in the course of the operation, troops recovered several improvised explosive device making materials at the location, including two scales, six rocket launcher bombs, one bag of fertiliser and half a bag of gunpowder.
Other materials recovered are 10 locally made hand grenades, one Rocket Propelled Grenade bomb fuse, one locally made Rocket Launcher, two Improvised Explosive Devices and 13 improvised rocket bombs, amongst others.
The camp was subsequently destroyed while troops are equally combing the surrounding forests for fleeing members of the sect,” he said.
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