Military kills terrorist commanders, rescue 37 victims
The Defence Headquarters says troops eliminated several terrorist commanders, rescued 37 kidnapped victims, and apprehended dozens of suspects in nationwide operations between Aug. 7 and Aug. 13. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, said this on Thursday in Abuja during the biweekly news briefing on military activities across all theatres of operation. […]
FILE PHOTO: military during an operation against banditry
The Defence Headquarters says troops eliminated several terrorist commanders, rescued 37 kidnapped victims, and apprehended dozens of suspects in nationwide operations between Aug. 7 and Aug. 13.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, said this on Thursday in Abuja during the biweekly news briefing on military activities across all theatres of operation.
He said the operations were carried out under the Joint Task Forces in the North-East, North-West, North-Central, South-East, and South-South, with combined air and ground assaults supported by sister security agencies and hybrid forces.
“Our troops have continued to demonstrate courage, resilience, and determination to dismantle terrorist networks, defeat insurgency and banditry, and suppress all forms of criminality.
“The terrorists’ will to fight has been shattered,” he said.
In the North-East, Kangye said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai, neutralised several Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders in Limankara, Pulka, Kareto, and other locations in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States.
He said that 16 suspected terrorists were arrested, five hostages rescued, and weapons, vehicles, motorcycles, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) recovered and safely detonated.
In the North-West, Kangye said the troops of Operation Fasan Yamma, killed scores of terrorists, arrested 11 suspects, and rescued 17 kidnapped victims in Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Kaduna States.
According to him, a suspected gunrunner was intercepted in Jama’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, while concealing an AK-47 rifle and ammunition in a sack of animal feed.
In the North-Central, he said the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke engaged criminal gangs in Benue, Taraba, Kogi, and the FCT, killing several, arresting 13 suspects, and rescuing nine hostages.
According to him, two notorious arms dealers were arrested in Lokoja, while a large cache of ammunition was recovered from an abandoned extremist camp in Taraba.
In the South-South, Kangye said the troops of Operation Delta Safe impounded 24,575 litres of stolen crude oil, 9,140 litres of illegally refined diesel, and 2,605 litres of petrol.
He added that the troops destroyed illegal refining sites, seized boats and storage tanks, and arrested 34 suspects linked to oil theft, cultism, and kidnapping.
In the South-East, he said the troops of Operation UDO KA, nabbed six suspected IPOB/ESN members and a kidnapper in Imo, Anambra, and Ebonyi States, recovering arms, ammunition, and vehicles.
Kangye, however, dismissed an Amnesty International report alleging extrajudicial killings in the South-East, insisting that the military operates professionally and within the law.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria are not involved in any extrajudicial killings. Such allegations are unfounded and misleading,” he said.
Kangye urged Nigerians to appreciate the sacrifices of the troops in the field, adding that the “troops gave their today for a safer country of tomorrow’’.
Family members of ISWAP terrorists surrender in Borno, army begins profiling
Meanwhile, some family members of terrorists in the camp of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have left hideouts of the fighters and surrendered to the troops combing different enclaves in Bama area of Borno State.
It was leant that the family members, comprising 12 adult females and 13 children, came out from some hideouts located in Zalmari, Gazuwa and Alafa villages and surrendered to the troops attached with 202 Battalion in Bama LGA.
Military sources confided in Daily Trust on Thursday that the surrendered persons are undergoing further profiling by 21 Special Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army.
Daily Trust reports that different communities and villages in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State had witnessed various attacks carried out by both members of Boko Haram and their ISWAP counterpart.
One of the sources added that troops later arrested 17 criminal suspects and recovered their assorted weapons and equipment in the coordinated operation that was carried on Monday.
Giving further details with evidence, the source said, “The same day, troops of 233 Battalion in conjunction with the Civilian JTF conducted an ambush along Sassawa–Kaburu in Damaturu LGA, Yobe State, making contact with terrorists, neutralizing one, and recovering an AK-47 rifle.