Residents of Mansur community in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State have started to return home following the clearance of bandits by troops of the Nigerian Army.

The Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 33 Artillery Brigade, Lt. Oluwakemi Fagbolagun, disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday.

DAILY POST reports that the affected communities had been deserted since February 26, 2026, when armed terrorists invaded the area, forcing residents to flee to safer locations. After nearly two months in displacement, the villagers started returning on April 22.

According to the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 33 Artillery Brigade, the attacks left homes abandoned while farming activities were halted across the community.

Fagbolagun said the return of residents followed a series of coordinated military operations, beginning with Operation Bugun Karkanda III, ordered by Army Headquarters and executed by troops of the 33 Artillery Brigade.

She added that the exercise was supported by Operation Wutan Daji, which focused on dislodging terrorists from their hideouts.

The operations, she noted, led to the clearance of criminal elements from Dajin Madam Forest in Plateau State and Kumbodoro Forest in Taraba State.

She further listed Yankari Game Reserve, Bogwas and Rimi in Bauchi State, as well as Odere Forest, Shirnagol, Wanka and Kukarlwa in Plateau State among areas recovered during the exercise. Troops also secured Kumbodoro town and Angwan Jauro Sule in Taraba State.

Fagbolagun said the operations paved the way for the liberation of previously occupied communities, including Mansur.

She explained that the military has now moved into the consolidation phase, which involves handing over cleared areas to relevant security agencies and government institutions to sustain peace and enable displaced residents to return.

The army spokesperson described scenes of jubilation as villagers made their way back to their homes, with many seen inspecting their houses and clearing overgrown vegetation within their compounds.

Community leaders, she added, commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, for the intervention that restored calm to the area.

Meanwhile, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, had earlier announced that thousands of bandits were neutralised during recent coordinated security operations across troubled parts of the state.

Addressing journalists on Monday, the governor attributed the success to joint efforts involving the Nigerian Air Force, the Armed Forces, intelligence agencies and local vigilante groups.

He said the operation followed an appeal to President Bola Tinubu over rising insecurity in Alkaleri and neighbouring states of Plateau, Taraba and Gombe.