The Nigerian Military has continued to sustain the momentum against all criminal elements across all zonal commands with several operations including rescue and clearance operations of ambushes and aerial patrols.
The Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche in a weekly review of the military activities across the zones said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in the North West Zone neutralised several armed bandits in Kuriya village of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State following actionable intelligence.
In a weekly review covering 7th to 13th January 2020, General Enenche said the troops working with close support by the Air Component, made contact with bandits at Kuriya village and no fewer than 50 armed bandits were killed in the encounter while 4 soldiers sustained injuries as 334 livestock were recovered from the bandits.
Also within the period, the Air Task Force of Operation LAFIYA DOLE inflicted heavy casualties on some Boko Haram Terorist at Alagarno Village in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State, in the North East.
Terrorists were spotted
This follows air strikes executed on the location after the Terrorist were spotted in a compound concealed in a dense vegetation which served as hideout used by the terrorists to coordinate their criminal activities.
The Nigerian Air Force attack aircraft took turns in engaging the targets. During the air strikes, several terrorists were also neutralised.
“On 7 January 2021, troop of Operation LAFIYA DOLE came in contact with some BHT elements while conducting clearance operation on their enclaves between Goniri and Gorgi in Gujba and Damaturu Local Government Areas of Yobe and Borno States. Accordingly, troops engaged the terrorists and neutralized several of them, while 10 gun trucks were recovered by the troops. In another development, on 9 January 2021, troops of the newly launched subsidiary Operation TURA TAKAI BANGO had contact and engaged some marauding BHT criminal elements at Gujba Local Government of Yobe State.”
“During the encounter, 28 terrorists were neutralized and several others escaped with gunshot wounds, while one gun truck and several arms and ammunition were recovered. Similarly on same day, troops had an encounter with some BHT/ISWAP terrorists at Gonan Kaji Village along Damaturu-Buni Yadi Road in Yobe State, during which 30 terrorists were killed in contact while caches of arms and ammunition were recovered by troops. In same vein, on 10 January 2021, troops had contact and engaged with some marauding BHT elements at Kafa Village in Damboa Local Government Are of Yobe State. During the encounter, 6 terrorists were neutralized and a gun truck and several weapons as well as equipment belonging to the terrorists were destroyed,” he said
In a continous effort to stamp out armed banditry and other criminalities in the North Central zone, the troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE successfully carried out a rescue operation at Mararaba Udege general area in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, rescuing 3 kidnapped persons and neutralising one armed bandit in a fire fight.
The kidnapped victims were subsequently reunited with their families.
Also, the troops of operation Safe Haven apprehended 4 suspected cultists at UV Martins Street in Jos North LGA of Plateau State.
Credible intelligence
The suspects, Alfred Song, George Musada, Armani Daniel and Kefas Rotgi were arrested on the heels of credible intelligence reports on their activities in the area.
One locally made pistol and 4 cartridges were recovered from the suspects. the troops also recovered 59 rustled cows from rustlers at Kuru Jenta close to Science School Kuru in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State.
Troops of Operation Delta safe fighting against economic sabotage in the zone South South Zone while on routine patrol around Effiat waterways intercepted and arrested a large wooden boat laden with 1,184 of 25kg bags of Yaraliva Nitrabor Fertiliser suspected to be smuggled in from Republic of Cameroon with 2 suspects arrested.
Also, the forward Operating Base IBAKA gunboats while on routine patrol around MBO River intercepted and arrested a medium size wooden boat laden with 17 drums of 300 litres of products suspected to be PMS with 2 suspects.
The military High Command says “these arrests affirm Armed Forces of Nigeria’s commitment towards eradicating sundry crimes in the country, Equally, while fertilizers are majorly for agricultural purposes, the possibility of it being acquired by criminal gangs, terrorists and militants for sinister purposes cannot be disregarded as fertilizer has remained a potential component for the fabrication of explosives owing to its content of ammonium nitrate”.
It also reassures the general public of its untiring commitment towards securing the country as it called on Members of the general public to continue providing timely information on the activities of criminals in their various localities to the military and other security agencies for prompt and effective action.
Lateefah Ibrahim
