Army Launches Operation Igbo Danu, Neutralises Terrorists, Rescues Kidnap Victims in Kwara

The Nigerian Army has launched Operation Igbo Danu, also known as Operation Forest Flush, recording significant successes against terrorists and bandits across parts of Kwara State.

The development was disclosed in a statement released on Friday via the Nigerian Army’s official X handle and signed by Captain Maureen Ogbuka on behalf of the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 2 Division Nigerian Army.

According to the statement, troops of the 22 Armoured Brigade, supported by the Office of the National Security Adviser, carried out sustained offensive operations within the Joint Operations Area between January 23 and 29, 2026. The operations were conducted under the leadership of the General Officer Commanding 2 Division Nigerian Army and Commander Sector 3, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Major General Chinedu Nnebife, alongside the Commander of the 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigar General Nicholas Rume.

During the operations, solrs conducted fighting patrols across several bandits’ enclaves, successfully neutralising terrorists, while others fled into surrounding forests with suspected gunshot wounds. Terrorist hideouts and camps were also destroyed, forcing the criminal elements to abandon key positions.

The army disclosed that troops cleared Garin Dandi, identified as a major bandit enclave in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. The operation led to the destruction of logistics bases and supply systems used by the bandits.

Troops also penetrated remote camps previously inaccessible to security forces, destroying abandoned hideouts and disrupting logistics enablers, thereby significantly degrading the terrorists’ operational capacity. Despite challenging terrain, the solrs maintained aggressive patrols across forested areas, denying the bandits freedom of movement.

The statement further revealed that fleeing suspects were intercepted at blocking positions, resulting in the arrest of suspected bandits, while several kidnap victims were rescued from different camps.

However, the army noted that some bandits received support from collaborators within nearby communities, who provided intelligence on troop movements and enabled early withdrawal from targeted locations.

The General Officer Commanding urged residents to cooperate with security forces by providing timely and credible information, assuring that the operation remains ongoing to decisively dismantle all terrorist networks operating within Kwara State.