Nigerian military kills suspected bandits in security operation

FILE PHOTO: Nigerian Army soldiers stand at a base. /Getty Images

The Nigerian military announced that its troops killed a "notorious" bandit leader and several of his fighters in a raid on a hideout at Tafawa village in Plateau State.

Officials are not releasing the bandit's name at this time.

The Nigerian military says 'credible and actionable intelligence from local sources' led soldiers to the suspects' hideout. The government encourages the public to continue coming forward with credible information on suspects to help curb criminal activity in the region.

Banditry and other criminal activities, such as kidnappings, are rampant in many parts of Nigeria.

The insecurity arising from banditry has resulted in the killings of thousands of people, displacement of hundreds of thousands of others and destruction of property.

The Nigerian government has launched several military operations to try to end the violence while state authorities have also tried to initiate peace talks to address the situation without much success.

(With input from agencies)