Armed Forces Working To End Terrorism, Insecurity Across Nigeria. ..DMO
Princess-Ekwi Ajide Abuja
The armed forces of Nigeria says it is determined to end terrorism and insecurity across the country, hence its troops are strategically deployed to conduct operations across the country in order to create a safe environment for citizens to go about their lawful duties and activities.
A statement signed by the Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said troops are carrying out attacks on terrorist enclaves and strongholds, aimed at eliminating the leadership and foot soldiers of these terror groups and will continue to go after terrorists and apply military pressure to destroy them and their cohorts across the country.
According to him the armed forces conducted synchronised strikes between the ground and air forces on terrorist enclaves and hideouts leading to major bombardment and raids on significant terrorist enclaves.
He said, they conduted ambushes, raids, fighting patrols and other forms of offensives against terrorists adding that the combination of these offensive posture resulted in over 40 neutrlized terrorists, and 91 arrests.
Major General Buba stressed that the troops also recovered 72 assorted weapons and 338 assorted ammunition just as they arrested 68 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 80 kidnapped hostages.
The DMO noted that in the South South, troops denied oil thieves an estimated sum of four hundred and eight million one hundred and forty seven thousand four hundred and sixty Naira (N408,147,460.00) only.
He gave a breakdown of the recovered weapons and ammunition to include, 6 FN rifles, 8 pump action guns, 4 locally fabricated rifle, 19 dane guns, 2 x 36 hand grenades, 165 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 100 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,085 rounds 7.62mm x 56mm ammo, 5.56mm x 45mm ammo, 84 rounds 12.7mm ammo and 12 live cartridges.
Others are one PKM barrel, one locally made bomb, 2 RPG charger, one bandolier, 34 magazines, 10 vehicles, 32 mobile phones, 18 motorcycles, 23 bicycles, 6 boafeng HH radios and the sum of N895,900.00 among others.
According to Buba, troops in the Niger Delta area destroyed 23 dugout pits, 30 boats, 99 storage tanks, 2 motorcycles and 13 vehicles. Other items recovered include 135 cooking ovens, one speedboat, 5 pump machines, 2 motorcycles and 68 illegal refining sites and recovered 406,500 litres of stolen crude oil, 252,112 litres of illegally refined AGO, 3,158 litres of DPK and 10,800 litre of PMS
The DMO reiterated that the aim of the operations is to destroy the terrorist and their cohorts across the country and that their first priority is the protection of troops and the citizenry.
