Defence HQ says military sustains bombardments, offensives against Boko Haram, ISWAP, degrade fighters

By JOHN NWOKOCHA, Abuja

The Nigerian Defence authorities have said troops of Nigerian military have sustained upscale of operational offensive and recorded in their wake, significant results against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

Disclosing this on Thursday in Abuja, Defence Media Operations spokesman, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko, said troops neutralized terrorists via air components of the military, which also degraded operational abilities of the terrorists, their informants and collaborators. Giving breakdown of the assaults on terrorists, Onyeuko stated within the period in focus, troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria had sustained the upscale in the rate of operational efforts across various theatres in the country.

According to him, the heightened activities yielded significant results in the various theatres.

On OPERATION HADIN KAI

Onyeuko stated that troops of Operation HADIN KAI sustained the operational tempo in land and air offensives against terrorists and other criminal elements in the North East theatre.

“Troops had several encounters with terrorists at different locations. In the course of the operations, significant results were recorded in different locations in the North East. These locations include; Mazga – Kamuya, Damboa Wass – Bitta – Balo – Gwoza and Damboa – Bulabulin – Maiduguri roads as well as at Bazza, Jigaiambu and Michika towns, in Borno State. Other locations are; Mairari, Rumirgo and Fuye villages; Gashua market, Takaskala axis, Damaturu – Maiduguri main supply routes, Mafa town as well as along Gulumba Gana – Dikwa road, all in Borno State.

“In addition, dozens of ISWAP/BHT terrorists and their collaborators were neutralized in coordinated air strikes executed by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI on 26 September 2021. This feat was achieved at Daban Masara, north of Lake Chad in Kukawa LGA of Borno State, from where the criminal elements launch attacks on own troops’ locations and innocent civilians in the area”.

As a result of the offensives a total of 85 BHT/ISWAP terrorists were neutralized and 43 terrorists including their collaborators and logistics suppliers were arrested in the course of the various operations.

Furthermore, a total of 121 assorted weapons including SMG, HK21 guns, AK-47 and locally-made rifles with magazines, 3,372 rounds of 7.62mm NATO/Special ammunition, locally made pistols and smooth body grenades, RPG-7 bombs as well as 12,250 bags of fertilizers and 178 rustled livestock among several other items were recovered. Furthermore, a total of 2,783 terrorists and their families surrendered within the period under review.

On OPERATION HADARIN DAJI

The defence spokesman said troops within the period intensified their offensive operations on bandits’ enclaves in the North West Zone.

The operations, he said have drastically degraded their operational capabilities and denied them freedom of action as well as frustrated movement of arms, ammunition and other illegal items, at the same time built confidence among locals.

He said “own troops responded to distress calls on bandits’ activities at different locations in Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina States. These include; armed bandits’ attacks on Gidan Kwaru village in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State, Kaiga general area and Tafoki village in Funtua LGA of Katsina State. Other incidents recorded were bandits’ invasions of Burkusuma town and Makuwana village in Sabon-Birni LGA of Sokoto State and Sabuwa Town as well as bandits’ road block along Gimi-Gora Road also in Katsina State.

“Troops’ swift responses with superior firepower during the incidents led to the repelling of armed bandits who were forced to flee in disarray, neutralization of scores of them and arrest of some others, including their informants and collaborators. Also, arms and ammunition among other items were recovered”, He stated.

Also, troops neutralized and arrested armed bandits and their arms supplier and informant at Kofar Fada village in Kankara LGA, Shabba village under Jibia LGA, Kaiga general area as well as Ummandau and Gammu villages, all in Katsina State. Furthermore, troops conducted clearance/raid operations on bandits’ enclaves at Falaliya, Yan Duwatsu, Kunkare, Jangeme, Mazarko and Kasala villages under Talata Mafara LGA in Zamfara State as well as Yarmariya village in Tudun Wada LGA of Kano State and cleared bandits’ camps.

To that effect, a total of 240 armed bandits were neutralized, 125 assorted arms including AK-47 and FN riffles and Dane guns as well as 1,166 rounds of 7.62mm special/NATO ammunition, 1,304 livestock and 54 motorcycles among other items were recovered within the period. Also, 47 armed bandits, informants and bandits’ collaborators were arrested within the period.

Still, the air component conducted air bombardments on criminal enclaves in different locations including Magami and Dansadau forests in Zamfara State. Also, it carried out coordinated offensive air strikes were also executed on bandits’ hideouts, from where they launched attacks own troops’ locations and innocent civilians between 22 and 26 September 2021.

The authorities noted that air operations yielded attendant successes at Danmusa, Safana and Dutsinma LGAs as well as Gonar, Sani, Jikan and Malam villages at the Yantumaki forest, Lelet village forest and Yantumaki – Maidabino road in Katsina State.

“The operations resulted in the neutralization of no fewer than 53 armed bandits, while several others escaped with varying degree of gunshot wounds and destruction of several of their structures used as hideouts and logistics facilities.

“The Air Component also provided close air support for ground troops during their operations”.

In the same vein, troops in OPERATION SAFE HAVEN conducted several operations to curb criminalities in their area of responsibility.

He said troops’ response to distress call on 4 September 2021 yielded significant result along Ganawuri – Manchok Road, where 2 drug peddlers were arrested with 320 parcels of cannabis sativa worth Nine Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira, stocked in a vehicle.

He said troops also rescued some civilians who were kidnapped at Jakko Gashish District in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State and arrested 2 kidnappers at Antor village in Sanga LGA of Kaduna State on 9 September 2021, while a gun runner and impostor named, Saliu Ibriahim, was arrested at Mailafiya village in Jama’a LGA of Kaduna State. A total of 14 locally fabricated rifles, 27 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 14 cartridges and 44 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition among other items were recovered in the course of our operations within the period.

Onyeuko also stated that troops under OPERATION WHIRL STROKE maintained aggressive postures, while the air component dominated the airspace by maintaining surveillance patrols.

He informed that troops have continued to flush out armed bandits and other criminal elements to create peaceful atmosphere in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba States.

The military authorities stressed that the security situation in the North West Zone has been relatively calm within the period in focus, which is evident in locals being seen carrying out their daily activities peacefully in some quarters.

Recalling that pockets of incidents were recorded in some other quarters as troops swiftly responded to distress calls and thwarted bandits’ attacks as well as averted communal clashes in different locations in the zone, the spokesman gave for instance; Akwuana village in Logo LGA and Tse-Chula and Tse-Aza villages in Guma LGA of Benue State.

However, security operatives arrested a notorious militia leader named Keffas Aondofa aka Azonto at Jalingo Metropolis in Taraba State.

According to him, Azonto who took over leadership of the late Gana’s militia gang has been terrorizing and imposing levies on locals in the State and has been on the wanted list of Operation WHIRL STROKE and other security forces.

“In the course of the operations within the period under review, a total of 15 armed bandits were neutralized, while 23 AK-47 rifles with magazines as well as 66 rounds of 7.62mm special and 39mm ammunition were recovered”, he said.

•Chief of Defence Staff, Gen, Lucky Irabor