By TOM CHIAHEMEN, Abuja –
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced that several necessary efforts are being put in place as proactive measures to ensure impending security threats are forestalled across the country, including the recent flag-off of 3 different exercises of the Nigerian Army at Ovie-Emene in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Acting Director, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Brigadier-General Benard Onyeuko, made this known in Abuja on Thursday while briefing Defence Correspondents on the operational activities of troops of Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies between 1st and 14th October 2021 to sustain the operational tempo in their land, maritime and air operations across the various theatres of operation in the country.
He also disclosed that troops of Operation HADIN KAI had sustained aggressive posture with vigour in the North East with significant results, adding that so far, a total of 13,243 terrorists and their families comprising 3,243 adult males, 3,868 adult females and 6,234 children, had surrendered to the Nigeria troops at different locations in the North East.
On the 3 new exercises launched by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, on October 4, Brigadier-General Onyeuko explained that this was in accordance with the Nigerian Army’s routine annual Field Training Exercises designed to forestall criminalities across the Country.
“Consequently, the newly launched exercises, codenamed; Exercises GOLDEN DAWN, ENDURING PEACE and STILL WATER are to run concurrently in the South West, South-South, South East and North Central Zones of the Country, precisely in the 2 Division, 6 Division, 81 Division and 82 Division,” he said.
According to him, “the exercises are designed to checkmate all forms of security vices as the yuletide season approaches, to enable persons enjoy hitch-free celebrations; it will also serve as platforms for participating troops to sharpen their skills in the conduct of internal security operations.”
He noted that the series of land and air operations conducted in different locations across the North East theatre had reduced the operational capabilities of the insurgents, adding that within the period, several terrorist elements were neutralized and several others arrested alongside their informants and logistics suppliers.
“Consequently, more terrorists have continued to lay down their arms and surrender to own troops with their families as they could no longer withstand the offensive operations within the theatre. Some of these feats were recorded at; Gwoza – Yamtake – Bita road; Gwoza – Farm Centre – Yamtake road; Mandara Mountain area as well as Pulka and Hambagda towns; all in Borno State,” he stated.
Brigadier-General Onyeuko said that cumulatively, within the period, a total of 29 terrorists were neutralized and 13 terrorists including their informants/collaborators and logistics suppliers were arrested in the course of the operations, while a total of 38 assorted weapons and 968 rounds of assorted ammunition as well as 48 rustled livestock among several other items were recovered.
“The Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI carried out air interdiction missions to foil BHT/ISWAP criminal elements’ attack on ground troops’ location at Aulari village in Bama LGA of Borno State. During the encounter, 3 of the terrorists’ gun trucks were destroyed together with their occupants and another was immobilized, while several other terrorists flee in disarray with varying degrees of wounds.,” Onyeuko said.
He further disclosed that the troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI within the period, dominated the operations theatre with aggressive fighting patrols and other kinetic operations with the support of intensive air operations executed by the Air Component, and that some of these operations resulted in the rescue of kidnapped civilians, neutralization of armed bandits, recovery of arms and ammunition as well as arrest of some criminal elements.
Also in the last two weeks, multiple air strikes were executed on bandits’ enclaves in successive passes in different locations, including the Kwaga forest within Birni Gwari general area in Kaduna State, during which no fewer than 40 armed bandits were neutralized and several structures which served as their logistics bases were destroyed.
He said the troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN continued to maintain vigilance and dominate the operational theatre with constant land and air patrols to deny criminal elements freedom of action, adding that cumulatively, a total of 570 parcels and 7 wraps of cannabis sativa worth N17.1million were impounded, while 11 kidnapped civilians were rescued, 41 criminal elements arrested, 11 assorted arms including AK-57 rifles, locally fabricated rifles, pistols and SMG as well as 446 assorted ammunitions and 267 livestock were recovered in the course of the operations.
On the non-kinetic activities, he said Operation SAFE HAVEN engaged youths in sporting activities at different locations of the theatre as well as held peace and security meetings in its area of responsibility.
“One of the sporting activities was a 15km Peace and Unity Marathon Competition”, which included male and female youths, drawn from diverse ethnic and religious groups to compete harmoniously among themselves. Some of the tournaments were conducted across the 4 districts of Sanga LGA of Kaduna State as well as Jos Township; Riyom, Jos North and Jos South LGAs of Plateau State. These, to a great extent, promoted civil-military cooperation and enhanced peaceful coexistence among ethnic and religious groups in the Operation SAFE HAVEN theatre,” he stated.
While declaring that the operational efforts of the military and other security agencies had considerably reduced the spate of criminal activities across the theatres, Onyeuko said, however, that the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies would not relent nor rest on its oars in the fight against criminalities in all parts of the Country.