Defence headquarters has debunked rumours making rounds that there has been a mass retirement of senior officers of the armed forces.
Acting Director, Defence Media Operation, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko, made this known while briefing journalist on the operational efforts of the armed forces at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
Onyeuko said the appointment of the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Farouk Yahaya was followed with a lot of rumours of mass retirement of officers, but that is not true.
On the operations of the armed forces across theatres of Operations, the troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria have intensified their operational efforts in the fight against terrorism, banditry, hoodlums and militancy and other criminalities across all the geo-political zones of the Country.
Continuous cooperation
The armed forces has also emphasized the need for cooperation among the security agencies which yields better results in the fight against all forms of criminality, and the continuous cooperation of the citizens in terms of giving information and intelligence to the security agencies on the activities of criminals in their locality.
While briefing journalist on the series of clearance patrols, ambush, raid, picketing, cordon and search operations as well as artillery bombardments across all the theatres of operations covering between 20 to 2nd june 202, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko, said the troops of OPERATION HADIN KAI while carrying out series of operational activities rescued kidnapped victims, neutralised scores of terrorists, destroyed terrorists’ enclaves, arrested terrorists and intercepted terrorists’ logistics items.
“On 20 May 2021, troops had contact and engaged BHT criminal elements in Gwoza LGA of Borno State. This occurred as troops swiftly responded to a distress call by farmers on attack on their location. Troops gallantly rescued the farmers. During the encounter, several terrorists were neutralized, while some others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds. Also on same day, troops while conducting aggressive clearance operation on BHT’s hideouts at Ngaiwa, Tongunle, Washelle, Mo’o, Mudollo, Mugdalla and Amtul villages, all in Dikwa LGA of Borno State, killed scores of the terrorists and recovered large caches of arms and ammunition,” he stated.
In related developments between 21 and 25 May, troops conducted cordon and search, raid operations and arrested BHT logistics suppliers at Ngamdu Town in Kaga LGA of Borno State, New Barracks Location along Damaturu – Potiskum road as well as Kukareta Town in Damaturu LGA of Yobe State. Items recovered during the operation include; large numbers of jerry can and drums of PMS, assorted arms and ammunition and assorted logistics items.
This large consignment of logistics has drastically dislocated the terrorists’ logistics network in the region. Meanwhile on 23 May 2021, the Air Task Force of Operation HADIN KAI conducted an extensive air interdiction missions near Gudumbali in Guzamal LGA and the Toumbuns of Lake Chad of Borno State.
“The air interdiction missions executed with various NAF platforms resulted in the neutralization of scores of BHT criminal elements and destruction of their camps and logistics facilities,” DHQ said.
Also troops of OPERATION HADARIN DAJI within the period under review in the conduct of operation arrested kidnappers/bandits and gun runners, rescue kidnapped victims, and neutralized scores of armed bandits recovering caches of arms and ammunition in the process.
The troops of OPERATION SAFE HAVEN in collaboration with other security agencies in the North Central Zone of the Country conducted a raid operation at Gana Ropp Village in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State taking out some illicit drug peddlers’ hideouts.
While troops of OPERATION WHIRL STROKE on the heels of credible intelligence arrested some cultists at Koko area of Adikpo Town in Kwande LGA of Benue recovering some arms and ammunition as well as other dangerous weapons from cultists.
“However 2 of our troops paid the supreme price during the encounter. In another encounter, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE on 26 May 2021, neutralized several armed bandits and incapacitated some others in a raid operation. The raid operation was conducted on the bandits’ hideouts at a forest in Ankur Village in Katsina-Ala LGA of Benue State. Several arms and ammunition were also recovered from the criminal elements during the encounter,” DHQ said.
Also, the troops of OPERATION THUNDER STRIKE and WHIRL PUNCH rescued 2 out of 4 abduction travelers along Gidan Waya – Godogodo – Jangindi Road in Jama’a LGA of Kaduna State while efforts are ongoing to rescue the remaining 2 victims.
Also troops of OPERATION DELTA SAFE mobilised several illegal refining sites along with numerous reservoirs.
The military high command assured the public that the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the security agencies remain resolute to take decisive actions against terrorists and bandits’ activities.
Lateefah Ibrahim
