By 
By Abiodun OBA
An officer of the 17 Brigade, Nigerian Army, and member of Operation Hadarin Daji and the Commander overseeing military operations in the Vantumaki, Dan Ali and Kankara axes of the state, Major A.G Mohammed, has been reported killed.
The late Mohammed was killed by bandits in Katsina State.
The news of his death was disclosed by a security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, via his X handle on Friday.
Makama wrote, “The news of the demise of Major Ag Mohammed of 17 brigade Katsina State, Operation Hadarin DAJI is indeed heart-wrenching.
“Mohammed paid the supreme price while combating bandits in the North West of Katsina State.
“Until his death, he serves as the commander covering Yantumaki, Dan Ali and Kankara Axis. He was one of the most gallant, courageous and highly dedicated officers.”
When contacted by our correspondent, the Director, Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Nwachukwu Onyema, neither picked up his phone calls nor responded to text and WhatsApp messages sent to his mobile number as of the time of filing this report.
However, mourning the late officer, an X user, @skonz222, recalled his experience with Mohammed at the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna State.
He wrote, “I remember this officer when he was a Captain posted to NDA, very malicious but proper officer. He will not look at your direction but if he does, you will feel it but at the same time, you can tell that it’s just training. May his soul Rest In Peace.”
Another user, @utaan55, described Mohammed as a “gallant” officer and a “welfarist”
He wrote, “RIP oga AG Mohammed. Served with him. Gallant, welfarist to the core. A huge loss.”
In another tweet by Makama on Thursday, he stated that terrorists in Zamfara State, on Wednesday, destroyed a mast belonging to telecom operator, MTN.
He noted that the terrorists used a rocket-propelled grenade, popularly called RPG to distort communication between “the people and the response agencies.”
“Terrorists in Zamfara, yesterday, April 24, fired an RPG and destroyed the MTN network in Zurmi town in order to distort communication between the people and the response agencies,” the tweet read.
The Nigerian Army has upscaled its efforts in the fight against banditry and terrorism. However, these have come with a price.
In multiple reports, the military has lost several soldiers in its quest to better the security architecture of the country.
Recently, the mutilated corpses of soldiers killed in last Friday’s attack by suspected bandits in Shiroro Local Government Area of the Niger State have been recovered.
The soldiers were reported to have been killed when they engaged bandits in a duel in the Roro, Karaga, and Rumace communities, Bassa Ward in the Shiroro LG.
According to a source, the soldiers had lost their way while on a mission to combat the bandits occupying the forest when they were ambushed and there was a shootout which resulted in casualties on the side of the soldiers and the bandits.
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