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Acting on a tip off, a fighting patrol team of 33 Brigade Nigerian Army following on Friday confronted suspected kidnappers at Lame Burra forest near Dutsen Ganye, Gunduru and Kati Layin villages, Bauchi State.

During a heavy exchange of fire, the troops killed 7 of the kidnappers and destroyed their camps. They also recovered 2 AK-47 rifles and 3 Dane guns at the camp, Colonel Sani Usman, acting director, Army Public Relations said in a statement on Saturday.

He added that the troops are still combing the general area to further track down other fleeing members of the criminal gang.

Colonel Usman also said in the statement after the initial successes of its Operation FOREST KUNAMA, which was aimed at clearing all livestock rustlers and armed bandits camps in Bauchi and Gombe States general area, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has directed the Brigade to maintain continued presence at the Lame-Burra forest.

This, he said was to prevent the criminal elements that fled from returning.

He added that subsequently, 2 Forward Operation Bases (FOBs) were established at Lame and Jimi to cover the Lame and Burra axis of the forest respectively.

Colonel Usman said the troops usually carry out periodic fighting patrols into the forest from the FOBs.

In a related development, troops on Operation LAFIYA DOLE deployed at Forward Operation Base (FOB), Buratai conjunction with local vigilante arrested a suspected Boko Haram terrorist named Adamu Damuna who is currently being interrogated.