Residents of Mansur in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State returned home in large numbers on Wednesday, 22 April 2026, after months of displacement, sparking widespread celebration in the community. The village had been deserted since 26 February 2026 when armed terrorists overran the area, forcing families to flee and leaving farmlands and homes abandoned.
The return follows Operation BUGUN KARKANDA III, a clearance operation by 33 Artillery Brigade directed by Army Headquarters, and the follow-up Operation WUTAN DAJI aimed at flushing terrorists from strongholds. The operations cleared terrorists from Dajin Madam Forest in Plateau State, Kumbodoro Forest in Taraba State, Yankari Game Reserve, Bogwas, Rimi, Odere Forest, Shirnagol, Wanka, and Kukarlwa in Plateau, as well as Kumbodoro town and Angwan Jauro Sule in Taraba. With the areas secured, previously occupied communities like Mansur were liberated and transitioned into a consolidation phase involving handover to security agencies and MDAs to maintain order and resettle displaced persons.
On Wednesday, men, women, and children sang and danced as they re-entered Mansur, inspecting homes and clearing bushes that had overtaken compounds during their absence. Community leaders commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, for the swift intervention, saying the return marks a new chapter. For villagers, the sight of soldiers on patrol now brings reassurance rather than anxiety.
