Godsgift Onyedinefu
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says the armed forces of Nigeria have intensified intelligence surveillance reconnaissance operations in all theatres of operations and main criminals’ logistics supply routes to frustrate movement of arms and ammunition as well as other unlawful items in the country.
Bernard Onyeuko (Brigadier-General), acting director, defence media operations (DMO) who said this on Thursday, also informed that there is relative reduction in the spate of incidents in the various theatres of military operations.
Onyeuko said all operations conducted by its troops across the country yielded substantive results, but some soldiers paid the supreme price during encounters with criminals.
Onyeuko, while giving a breakdown of the activities of the armed forces from 2 and 15 July 2021, said troops of Operation Hadarin Daji sustained the onslaught against armed bandits and other criminal elements in the North West Zone of the Country.
According to him, land and air operations were conducted simultaneously at different locations in Zamfara, Katsina, Niger and Kaduna States within the period.
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He said, “In each encounter, troops engaged and subdued the criminals. And recovered several livestock as well as arms and ammunition.
“The Air Component of the operation has continued to dominate the airspace with reconnaissance and in support of ground troops.
“Generally, the security situation in some locations within Operation Hadarin Daji theatre is considerably calm which is evident as locals were seen carrying out their daily activities peacefully. To this end, residents of Magami District in Gusau LGA of Zamfara State held a peaceful rally in appreciation of military operations that have ensured relative peace in their environment on 3 July 2021. The rally, according to the residents, was as a result of the locals being able to access their farmlands without harassment or attacks by bandits.
The director further informed that the troops of Operation Hadin Kai intensified the onslaught on Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists within the theatre.
Within the period under review, he said several operations were conducted, which degraded the operational capabilities of the BHT/ISWAP criminal elements and denied them freedom of action in the North East Zone.
“During the encounters, scores of the terrorists were neutralized and large caches of arms and rounds of ammunition as well as other equipment, gun trucks and vehicles were recovered.
He added that the troops also intercepted and arrested several terrorists and their logistics vehicles loaded with large quantities of assorted supplies.
“Additionally, within the period, several of the BHT/ISWAP’s wives and children surrendered to their own troops at Banki LGA following the heavy operational activities of the troops within the Operation Hadin Kai theatre”, he said.
In the southern region, Onyeuko said troops of Operation Delta Safe executed several operations against economic saboteurs and other criminal elements within the theatre of operations.
He said series of anti-crude oil theft, anti-illegal bunkering and anti-illegal oil refining as well as anti-smuggling and anti-militancy operations were conducted which led to the deactivation of several illegal refining sites and recovery of stolen crude oil.
Onyeuko also noted that the activities of troops of Operations Awatse, Thunder strike, Whirl Punch, and Safe haven all recorded successes.
The acting director therefore urged Nigerians to support efforts of the military by providing credible and timely information that will facilitate its proactive engagements.
