996 ISWAP/Boko Haram fighters surrender, as troops kill 90 others in 2 weeks

By JOHN NWOKOCHA, Abuja

The Defence Headquarters has said that troops of Operation Hadin Kai, in the North East have  eliminated no fewer than 90 Boko Haram and Islamic States West Africa Province(ISWAP) terrorists.

Brig.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, the Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, said the feat was recorded under two weeks

The Defence spokesman made this disclosure when he gave an update on troops’ operational activities in the various theatres of operation across the country, from Nov. 11 to Nov. 25 on Thursday in Abuja.

Onyeuko also disclosed that an unconfirmed number of terrorists were eliminated in offensive airstrikes by the Air Component on Nov. 12 in Baga near Lake Chad.

With the same offensive, troops in Baga town arrested a notorious terrorist -Mr Haladu Saleh who has been on the wanted list since 2018.

“Our troops have continued to execute various kinetic and non-kinetic operations in conjunction with other security agencies across the nation”. The spokesman said.

He noted that the troops also intercepted and impounded terrorists’ logistics supplies along Bukarti – Yusufari Road and Maima Hari Checkpoint on Biu – Damboa Road, adding that the troops on Nov. 13 repelled terrorists’ attack on troops at Askira-Uba in Borno, leading to the killing of over 50 terrorists and the destruction of combat equipment, such as gun trucks and other weapons in the coordinated ground and air attacks.

Onyeuko disclosed further that, their fighting vehicles as well as large caches of arms and ammunition were recovered during the encounter while some of the gallant officers and soldiers paid the supreme price.

He said, the troops raided an enclave in Karawar village and recovered arms and ammunition as well as assorted drugs and arrested two drug peddlers -Mr Ezekiel Karson and Galadima Bako with large quantities of cannabis Sativa.

”In the course of these operations, no fewer than 90 terrorists were neutralised and 21 of them arrested.

“Also, 98 assorted weapons, including AK-47 rifles and 2,589 rounds of ammunition were recovered within the period.

“Additionally, seven kidnapped civilians were rescued, while a total of 996 Boko Haram elements and their families comprising 203 adult males, 302 adult females and 491 children surrendered to own troops at different locations in Borno.

“All recovered items have been handled appropriately and rescued persons reunited with their families, while arrested and surrendered terrorists have been profiled and handed over to appropriate authorities for further action,” he said.

Also troops in Operation HADARIN DAJI neutralized118 armed bandits, arrested 12 criminal elements and rescued five kidnapped victims in the North West.

According to Onyeuko, troops also recovered 26 assorted arms and 194 rounds of 7.62 ammunitions.

Said he, “These operations were executed at; Runka and Nasarawa villages in Safana LGA and Kaiga Mallammai village, all in Katsina State, where armed bandits’ and logistics suppliers, namely; Alhaji Lawal Auwalu, Ibrahim Tayo and Alhaji Dahiru Abubakar were arrested.

“Another location was Batsari town in Batsari LGA where troops repelled armed bandits’ attack on the location in which troops superior firepower forced the armed elements to flee in disarray with gunshot wounds. Within the period in focus, several airstrikes were executed on bandits’ enclaves, which inflicted heavy casualties on the bandits.

“These including; a location where a bandit kingpin, Bello Guda Turji, his subordinate commander, Bello Buza and other foot soldiers operating within Sokoto and part of Zamfa State, use as camp. The air strikes resulted in the neutralization of scores of armed bandits, including their key leaders and foot soldiers as well as destruction of their structures, equipment, weapons and logistic supplies”.

The spokesman said troops in Operation SAFE HAVEN, extensively executed various land and air operations in different locations.

Remarkably in the operation according to the spokesman, “in the course of these operations, troops amicably resolved farmers/herders clashes and averted bloody clash between 2 families over land disputes”.

He said as for the Operation WHIRL STROKE, seven armed bandits were eliminated, seven others were arrested, while a total of 10 AK-47 rifles and 45 rounds of ammunition were recovered within the period.  He added that five kidnapped civilians were rescued in the course of the operations.

In the course of these operations of OPERATION DELTA SAFE, Onyeuko said, troops discovered and deactivated illegal oil refining/bunkering sites, arrested some criminal elements as well as recovered arms and ammunition and several other items.

“Consequently, a total of 795,500 litres of illegally refined AGO; 60,000 litres of DPK and six million, three hundred and ninety-five thousand, four hundred and twenty litres (6,395,420ltrs) of stolen crude were recovered in the course of the operations”. He said.

According to him 26 criminal elements associated with pipeline vandalism, piracy, illegal oil bunkering and armed robbery were arrested within the period.

Onyeuko equally noted a reduction in the activities of IPOB/ESN in the South East.

Hear him: “The IPOB/ESN elements activities in the South East drastically reduced in recent times. However, pockets of incidents were recorded in some locations at; Oru-West LGA of Imo State and Ebonyi LGA of Ebonyi State”.