…as troops nab top terrorists’ informant Bulama Suri, destroy22 illegal oil refining sites
By JOHN NWOKOCHA, Abuja
Nigerian defence authorities has said that owing to troops onslaught in the Borno state, some active terrorist fighters have surrendered and claimed they have lost interest in terrorist ideology.
Disclosing this during his media briefing on military operations in the nine theatres of troop operations across Nigeria, Director of Defence Media Operations (DMO), Major General Edwards Buba, on Thursday in Abuja, stated troops also arrested a high profile terrorists’ collaborator identified as Bulama Suri. “He is a terrorist spy and collaborator residing at Gaulawa and Gwazari villages at Kukawa in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State”, Buba said.
“Items recovered from the terrorists were generally food items and cows”, he disclosed.
Buba who said troops conducted fighting patrol to Awada in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State and made contact with Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province terrorist, informed that following a fire fight, troops neutralized two terrorists and captured two others as well as rescued one victim.
According to Buba, “The Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI conducted several air operations against terrorist enclaves and their logistics bases in order to degrade them. Notably, the air component conducted air reconnaissance and intelligence at terrorist’ hideouts in Hyawa in Borno State. The location was active with terrorists activities, acquired and subsequently attacked with bombs. After action review revealed that many of the terrorists were neutralized and their structures destroyed.”
“Troops rescued10 kidnapped civilians during these operations”, Buba added.
Speaking further, he said within the period in reference, troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI sustained their offensives against bandits in Zamfara and its environs as well as states in the North West.
Troops recovered two motorcycles and one Dane gun as well as destroyed the terrorist camp and storage facilities, while responding to information on terrorist attack at Nahuta village in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State and made contact with the terrorists.
Similarly, in the course of operations, troops of Operation DELTA SAFE recovered 367,200 litres of crude oil, 27,150 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, 550 assorted rounds of ammunition, 12 calibers of weapons, 7 empty magazines, 17 cutlasses, 3 vehicles, 19 motorcycles and 1 dagger. Troops equally destroyed 22 illegal refining sites, 15 wooden boats, 34 storage tanks, 96 ovens and 16 dugout pits. While a total of 60 suspected criminals were apprehended within the period.
“It is noteworthy to state that an estimated sum of Two Hundred and Two Million Seven Hundred and Eighty-Eight Thousand Three Hundred Naira (N202,788,300.00) was denied the oil thefts during the period in focus”, he stated.
