... Terrorists have lost interest in the Boko Harams' ideology
By Olayemi Esan
The Defence Headquarters says, 466 Surrendered Boko Haram and ISWAP Terrorists and their families, comprising of 120 Adult Males, 137 Adult Females and 209 Children with the claimed to have lost interest in the Boko Haram Terrorists' ideology have been properly documented and handed over to the appropriate authorities for necessary actions.
Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Benard Onyeuko disclosed this during the bi-weekly media briefing on the operations conducted by own troops and other security agencies to tackle insecurity between 10 - 24 February 2022.
General Onyeuko said, Nigerian troops Operational activities in Borno State led to the Surrendering of the 466 terrorist fighters in North East.
He added that the Air Component of OPERATION HADIN KAI and HADARIN DAJI carried out air interdiction in Borno, Katsina, Zamfara States, in the process the leader of Rijal Amn Special Forces, Mohammed Yusuf was neutralized and a notorious bandit leader, one Mallam Dogo Umaru and scores of his foot soldier were neutralized.
Gen Onyeuko said, troops within the last 2 weeks in all the Operations neutralized ahout 129 terrorist fighters, arrested 112 members of the terrorists, recovered several gun trucks, AK47 rifles, magazines with 6.2mm special ammunitions at all theatre of operations in the North East and West, South South, South East and South West Zones.
Additionally, a total of 100 abducted civilians and displaced person, were rescued by Nigerian troops of Operation Hadin Kai, Safe Haven, Hadarin Daji, Delta Safe, While Stroke, Thunder Strike and troops of Operation Whirl Stroke.
Significantly, the air component troops of Operation Thunder Strike/Whirl punch carried out air interdiction on terrorist enclaves in South of Damari in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State after a painstaking air reconnaissance missions on terrorist/bandits enclaves, The air interdiction neutralized several armed terrorists close to the Nigerian Defence Academy.
The terrorists numbering about 75 engaged ground troops in a fierce battle around Labi general area along the Kaduna – Birnin Gwari road. The terrorists came under heavy airstrikes which aided the ground forces to effectively engaged the bandits and neutralized bandits.
In the last 2 weeks troops of Operation DELTA SAFE conducted clearance operations in Bayelsa and Abia States, reccovered a total of One million, One hundred and eighteen thousand, One hundred and Seventy-Five litres (1,118,175 litres) of illegal AGO and Two Million and Eight Six Thousand litres (2,086.000 litres) of stolen crude oil.
Similarly, troops arrested 13 economic saboteurs associated with pipeline vandalization and discovered 38 refining sites, 100 metal storage tanks, 25 dugout pits, 75 cooking ovens, 20 cotonou boats, 35 Yamaha pumping machines, 15 coolants as well as 10 tankers were recovered. Also, 35 galvanized pipes illegally connected were destroyed.
The Military High Command commended troops in the frontlines of the various theatre of operations for their zeal and commitment in containing the various securities challenges across the country.
