The Nigerian Defence headquarters says, the armed forces is fighting a vicious enemy in the ongoing operations across the country, but notes its military is ready, prepared, equipped and focused on what to do with these terrorist and their cohorts
Addressing Newsmen in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba said they have been collecting intelligence, hunting them and striking them where they maybe hiding and hibernating, stressing that the aim is to kill the terrorists and the infrastructure that supports them
Buba said the military has employed significant firepower to kill several terrorists and disrupt their activities as significant terrorist commanders killed within the last three months include, and is not limited to the following: Abu Bilal Minuki (aka Abubakar Mainok) – Head of Is-Al Furqan Province (ISGS and ISWAP) and Haruna Isiya Boderi. “He was a notorious terrorists who operated along Birnin Gwari Forest in Kaduna State as well as the Abuja-Kaduna Highway. He was killed by troops on February 24. 2024.”
Others are : Kachallah Damina ( killed on March 24, by troops. He was killed alongside over 50 combatants), Kachallah Alhaji Dayi, Kachallah Idi (Namaidaro), Kachallah Kabiru (Doka), Kachallah Azarailu (Farin-Ruwa), Kachallah Balejo,
Kachallah Ubangida, Alhaji Baldu among several others.
The above was achieved through synchronized strikes between the ground and air forces on terrorist enclaves. For instance, lmmediately upon acquisition of vital targets, fighter jets are scrambled to carry out major bombarding raids on significant terrorist enclaves.
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Buba further stated that Troops equally conducted ambushes, raids, fighting patrols and offensive against the terrorist. The attacks and offensive actions by troops during the period of January – March 2024 resulted in 2,351 terrorists killed, 2,308 persons arrested and 1,241 kidnapped hostages rescued.
Furthermore, Troops recovered 2,847 weapons, 58,492 ammunitions and denied the oil theft of an estimated sum over N20 bn (N20,331,713,910.00) only
Breakdown for the period includes and is not limited to the following: 1,497 AK47 rifles, 33,878 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 12,698 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 948 assorted arms and 5,520 assorted ammo.
Others are 21,573,310 litres of stolen crude oil, 2,723,430 litres of illegally refined AGO, 53,300 litres of DPK and 52,730 litres of PMS amongst other item
He added that The foregoing demonstrates that ongoing operations are effective and result oriented. Accordingly, the
military is raising the bar in the prosecution of the war. Consequently, citizens will continue to witness the incremental effectiveness and efficiency of the armed forces.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
