By Milcah Tanimu

The Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, has confirmed the successful elimination of Maikusa, a notorious terrorist leader in Katsina State, by the Nigerian Army.

In a statement, it was revealed that Maikusa held the position of second-in-command among the terrorists in Katsina State and operated under the leadership of another known terrorist named Modi Modi.

The operation took place during a counter-insurgency mission in Kurfi and Safana Local Government Areas of the state on Monday, March 4, 2024. The soldiers engaged in a shootout with Maikusa and three other terrorists, successfully neutralizing all four individuals.

The statement from Nwachukwu described the encounter: “During the operation, troops encountered vehement resistance from the violent extremists, but gallantly overpowered the terrorists with superior firepower, neutralizing some while others fled in disarray.”

Following the engagement, the army recovered two AK-47 rifles, three magazines, 65 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition, a locally fabricated gun, and camouflage uniforms.

In addition to Maikusa’s elimination, the troops continued their clearance operations, destroying terrorists’ camps in several villages, including Wurma, Shaiskawa, Yauni, Dogon Marke in Kurfi LGA, and Ummadau and Zakka in Safana LGA.

This successful operation follows the Defense Headquarters’ confirmation a few months ago of the killing of four notorious terrorist commanders in air strikes. The individuals included Machika, Haro, Dan Muhammadu, and Ali Alhaji Alheri, known as Kachalla Ali Kawaje, each with their distinct roles in terrorism-related activities.