Secrets Reporters
Fresh operation exposes growing stockpile of weapons hidden in North-West forests
What began as another military sweep through the forests of Kebbi State has now exposed the scale of weaponry allegedly being stockpiled by armed groups operating across parts of Nigeria’s troubled North-West region.
In the early hours of June 14, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA launched what military sources described as a targeted offensive around the Dogon Daji axis of Dandi Local Government Area, an area that has increasingly featured in security reports involving the Lakurawa terrorist group.
The encounter quickly escalated.
Faced with advancing troops and sustained firepower, the terrorists reportedly abandoned their positions and retreated through known escape routes, leaving behind more than just a deserted camp.
What soldiers discovered during a follow-up pursuit has raised fresh concerns about the sophistication and destructive capabilities available to criminal groups operating within the region.
Among the items recovered were Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) launch tubes, several RPG warheads, multiple Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), motorcycles believed to have been used for rapid movement across difficult terrain, as well as other logistics materials and personal effects.
Security analysts say the presence of both RPG systems and IED components suggests a level of operational planning capable of inflicting significant damage on both military formations and civilian targets if left unchecked.
The discovery also offers a rare glimpse into the type of arsenal being assembled by armed groups that have continued to challenge security forces across parts of the North-West.
Military authorities said troops emerged from the operation without casualties, describing the raid as part of a broader effort to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and disrupt movement corridors used by armed groups in the region.
The operation comes amid intensified military pressure on criminal networks operating across the North-West, where security agencies have increasingly relied on aggressive pursuit tactics designed not only to dislodge fighters from their camps but also to seize weapons, explosives and logistics platforms that sustain their operations.
For residents of communities that have lived under the shadow of attacks, kidnappings and violent incursions, the latest recovery may provide a measure of reassurance.
But it also raises a troubling question:
How many more such stockpiles remain hidden across the forests and remote settlements of the North-West?
For now, the weapons recovered at Dogon Daji stand as evidence of both the threat confronting security forces and the continuing battle to deny armed groups the tools they need to wage violence across the region.