Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have uncovered a substantial cache of 12.7mm ammunition in the Bulumkutu railway area of Maiduguri, Borno State.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, the seizure followed intelligence-driven operations and cordon-and-search exercises targeted at disrupting criminal and terrorist activities in the area.
Security sources disclosed that the recovery took place at about 3:00 pm on Friday after residents alerted authorities to the presence of suspicious metallic objects inside a drainage channel.
Following the report, military personnel, alongside police explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams, swiftly cordoned off the area and carried out a detailed search of the channel.
During the operation, they recovered 1,270 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, comprising both live rounds and power banks concealed within the drainage.
The publication noted that initial measures were taken to secure the location, while efforts were ongoing to completely drain the channel in order to ascertain whether additional items had been hidden there.
Troops, working in collaboration with the police and other security agencies, have continued to maintain a robust presence in the area to safeguard residents and critical infrastructure, and to prevent any attempt by criminals or terrorists to retrieve the recovered ammunition.
Makama reported that no casualties or abnormal incidents were recorded during the operation, adding that the security situation remains calm but under close monitoring.
The military has called on residents to stay alert and promptly report any suspicious movements or activities to security agencies, stressing that community cooperation is essential to sustaining peace and security in the North-East.