By TOM CHIAHEMEN, Abuja –
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has vowed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies will continue to forestall the activities of the enemies of the country.
Acting Director, Defence Media Operation (DMO), Brigadier-General Benard Onyeuko, who gave the assurance in Abuja on Thursday on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Leo Irabor, stated that to this end, the Armed Forces had intensified their aggressive posture to reduce the activities of criminal elements.
“We have also intensified intelligence surveillance reconnaissance operations in all theatres of operations and main criminals’ logistics supply routes to frustrate movement of arms and ammunition as well as other unlawful items to criminal elements using various NAF platforms,” he said.
General Onyeuko, who gave a cumulative and summarized presentation of the activities of the Armed Forces in all its operations across the country between 2nd and 15th July, 2021, said the Nigeria Airforce (NAF) also dominated the airspace within all theatres and provided close air support for ground troops during their operations.
According to Brigadier-General Onyeuko, from the updates from the various theatres of operations highlighted during the briefing, “there is no gain saying there is relative reduction in the spate of incidents in the various theatres of operations.”
Explaining that the operations involved both kinetic and non-kinetic engagements in different locations within the various theatres and yielded substantive results, General Onyeuko however regretted that in the course of these operations, “some of our troops paid the supreme price and some others sustained varying degrees of injuries.”
A major highpoint of the military operations during the period was the troops of operation HADARIN DAJI, which sustained the onslaught against armed bandits and other criminal elements in the North West Zone of the Country.
According to the acting Director of DMO, “land and Air operations were conducted simultaneously at different locations in Zamfara, Katsina, Niger and Kaduna States within the period. These include ambush operations against armed bandits’ at Galadi village in Zamfara State as well as stop and search operations along Isa – Shinkafi Road in Zamfara State; Sheme – Ruwan Godiya Road and Gurbin Baure, border between Katsina and Zamfara States.
“Also, troops responded to distress call of bandits’ attack at Sabon Garin Yankara, in which troops swiftly mobilized to the location and repelled the attack. Additionally, troops conducted clearance and cordon and search operations at Chabi village under Marabu District in Maru LGA of Zamfara State as well as at Jarkuka Yangayya, Mazaya and Buku villages in Jibia LGA of Katsina State.
“Troops also within the period conducted rescue operations at Mararaba Maigora village in Katsina State and Dogon Hako village in Kaduna State. In each encounter, troops engaged and subdued the criminals. And recovered several livestock as well as arms and ammunition, including AK-47 rifles, locally made pistols, dane guns and several rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
“The security situation in some locations within Operation HADARIN DAJI theatre is considerably calm which is evident as locals were seen carrying out their daily activities peacefully. To this end, residents of Magami District in Gusau LGA of Zamfara State held a peaceful rally in appreciation of military operations that have ensured relative peace in their environment on 3 July 2021. The rally, according to the residents, was as a result of the locals been able to access their farmlands without harassments or attacks by bandits.”
He also spoke on troops of Operation HADIN KAI, who intensified the onslaught on BHT/ISWAP terrorists within the theatre. Within the period, several operations were conducted, which degraded the operational capabilities of the BHT/ISWAP criminal elements and denied them freedom of action in the North East Zone, with considerable successes.
Similarly, he said, the troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN within the period executed several concurrent kinetic and non-kinetic operations in Plateau and Kaduna States, including g response to distress calls on farmers/herders clashes at Maraban Dare and Gero Villages in Jos South LGA; Babuje and Shen Villages in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State as well as Zaman-Dabo and Zonzon Districts in Zangon Kataf LGA of Kaduna State.
“The operational engagements of troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE within same period undertook kinetic and non-kinetic operations, which were simultaneously conducted in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa States,” just as the troops of Operation WHIRL PUNCH/THUNDER STRIKE “continued to sustain their operational tempo in the North West Zone of the Country,” he said.
He equally disclosed that between 1st and 14th July 2021, troops of Operation DELTA SAFE executed several operations against economic saboteurs and other criminal elements within the theatre of operations, adding that “series of anti-crude oil theft, anti-illegal bunkering and anti-illegal oil refining as well as anti-smuggling and anti-militancy operations were conducted, at Egelebie – Jumbo Area in Rivers State, where an illegal refining site was deactivated and several metal storage tanks laden with large quantities of stolen crude oil were recovered.”
.The briefing also highlighted the activities of troops of Operation AWATSE, who sustained their operational engagements on anti-crude oil theft, anti-illegal refining and anti-smuggling operations as well as conducted clearance and stop and search operations within the South West Zone.
“The Military High Command lauds the efforts of the troops for their resilience and unrelenting commitment and further encourages the general public to support our efforts by providing credible and timely information that will facilitate our proactive engagements,” Brigadier-General Onyeuko said.
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