Residents of Mansur in Alkeleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State have returned en masse to their homes after months of displacement, following sustained military operations that cleared terrorist strongholds across the Bauchi-Plateau-Taraba corridor.
Desk: Defence & Security
Date: Thursday, 23 April 2026
Time: 14:25 WAT
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations, 33 Artillery Brigade, Lieutenant Oluwakemi Fagbolagun, outlining the sequence of operations that led to the restoration of the community.
The community had been deserted since 26 February 2026 when armed terrorists overran Mansur, forcing residents to flee while farmlands were abandoned and homes left unoccupied for weeks.
The turnaround followed the launch of Operation BUGUN KARKANDA III, a clearance mission directed by Army Headquarters and executed by 33 Artillery Brigade, targeting entrenched terrorist positions across multiple forest belts.
The operation was preceded by Operation WUTAN DAJI, a deliberate follow-up designed to flush terrorists out of established enclaves and weaken their hold across the wider operational environment.
Troops cleared terrorist elements from Dajin Madam Forest in Plateau State and Kumbodoro Forest in Taraba State, alongside additional locations including Yankari Game Reserve, Bogwas and Rimi in Bauchi State, as well as Odere Forest, Shirnagol, Wanka and Kukarlwa in Plateau State. Kumbodoro town and Angwan Jauro Sule in Taraba State were also secured during the coordinated operations.
Following the clearance phase, operations transitioned into consolidation, involving the handover of secured communities to relevant security agencies and Ministries, Departments and Agencies to stabilise the environment and support the return of displaced populations.
The return of residents on 22 April was marked by widespread celebration, with men, women and children seen inspecting homes, clearing overgrown compounds, and resuming daily life after weeks of disruption.
Community leaders commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, for the intervention, describing the return as the beginning of recovery and renewed stability in the area.
The shift from clearance to consolidation reflects an operational focus on converting battlefield gains into civilian resettlement and sustained stability-an essential phase in breaking cycles of displacement.
Tags
Nigeria Army, Operation BUGUN KARKANDA, Operation WUTAN DAJI, Bauchi State, displacement, counterterrorism, stabilisation
#Nigeria #Security #Defence #Bauchi #CounterTerrorism #Stabilisation #ZigDiaries
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