8 Division

No fewer than 13 armed bandits have been killed by the military under Operation Hadarin Daji in several villages in the war theatre area covering the three states of Zamfara, Katsina and Kebbi.

Troops of Operation Hadari Daji (OPHD) has recorded another significant success as part of its continuing operations against armed banditry and all other forms of criminality in Zamfara state.

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Wednesday, ordered the interim forfeiture of the sum of $376, 120 allegedly seized from Major General Hakeem Otiki, to the Federal Government.

Armed bandits operating in parts of Katsina State have released two Customs officers they abducted at Jibia last Wednesday.

The Nigerian Army says its troops have neutralised and captured more Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa’s Province (ISWAP) terrorists and rescued 165 women and children from their captivity in Borno State.

Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari and the Army yesterday called on leaders of repentant bandits and their followers to hand over their weapons to the government.

The Nigerian Army has announced the promotion of senior officers to the ranks of Major-Generals and Brigadier-Generals in its latest promotion exercise.

Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal says that negotiations between the state government and criminal bandits are aimed at addressing the very crimes and banditary that have engulfed the northern state.

The Nigerian Army on Tuesday began the trial of the former General Officer Commanding, 8 Division, Sokoto State, Maj Gen Hakeem Otiki, over the alleged diversion of the sum of N400 million by some soldiers in the division.

The former General Officer Commanding of the 8 Division, Sokoto State, Maj. Gen. Hakeem Otiki, under whom five soldiers allegedly escaped with about N400m, is undergoing a course at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, Badagry, Lagos State.

The Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on Tuesday, said the outcome of the ongoing investigations, of the former General Officer Commanding, 8 Division, Maj. Gen Hakeem Otiki, over alleged diversion of over N400m by five runaway soldiers in the division would be made public.

Lieutenant Audu Arihu, spokesman for the 8 Division Nigerian Army in Sokoto, has confirmed the theft of N400 million, not billions, by some lower ranked soldiers in July.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 8 Division, Sokoto, Major General Hakeem Otiki, has been placed under house arrest, according to a report.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai, has approved new postings and appointments for officers of the Nigerian Army.

A policeman was killed at the weekend when some 300 bandits ambushed a team of security personnel responding to distress calls from communities in Kankara local government area of Katsina State.

Troops have arrested 25 bandits in the forests of Sokoto and Zamfara States, the Nigerian Army announced yesterday.

No fewer than eight bandits have been killed and 17 other collaborators arrested by troops of Operation HARBIN KUNAMA III under the 8 Division Nigerian Army, Sokoto.

The General Officer Commanding 8 Division of the Army, Maj.-Gen. Hakeem Otiki, has said operation “Harbin Kunama III” initiative has made landmark breakthrough by the tremendous achievements it recorded against armed banditry in the forests across the four states.