Armed Forces Of Nigeria Reiterates Commitment To Protecting National Interest
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
The Armed Forces of Nigeria, AFN, says it remains steadfast in its role as an element of national power utilised to protect and project the national interest of the nation and ad such, all ongoing operations across the country are in support of national security interest.
In a press release to showcase ongoing troops operations across theatres in the six geopolitical zones of the country, the Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said in the week under review, troops neutralised 253 and arrested 172 persons.
He said, troops also arrested 15 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 206 kidnapped hostages and denied the oil thieves an estimated sum of One Billion Seventy Three Million Eight Hundred and Twenty Nine Thousand Five Hundred Naira, N1,073,829,500.00, in the South South region.
The Director furthet noted that troops recovered 251 assorted weapons and 4,113 assorted ammunition which is brokendown as follows: one GPMG, 118 AK47 rifles, 54 locally fabricated gun, 47 dane guns, 6 pump action guns, 2 locally fabricated pump action guns, 5 double barrel guns, 4 single barrel guns, 4 locally fabricated pistol, 4 IED, 60mm mortar tube, 2 AK butts, MRAP and one bandolier.
Others include: 2,047 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 942 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 98 rounds of 9mm ammo, 342 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 334 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm, 252 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm, 110 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ball, 299 live cartridges, 32 magazines, 2 baofeng radios, 2 KYD radios, 8 vehicles, 41 motorcycles, 27 bicycles, 41 mobile phones and the sum of N74,702,320.00 only amongst other items.
Buba, explained that troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 22 dugout pits, 37 boats, 70 drums, 4 receiver, 4 reservoirs and 29 storage tanks.
He counted other recovered items to include 215 cooking ovens, 13 vehicles, 4 wheelbarrows, one tricycle, one motorcycle, 5 mobile phones, one speedboat, 2 KYD radios, 2 outboard engines and 75 illegal refining sites.
According to him, troops recovered 1,047,050 litres of stolen crude oil and 205,550 litres of illegally refined AGO.
He emphasised that operations across the country are a testament of the tireless effort of the military to prevent anarchy, unrest and national security destabilization saying that for these reasons, the armed forces is deserving of the pride of place as the nation’s symbol of national unity and resilience.
The Director urged citizens to extend utmost respect for the armed forces, and not degrade the institution as it would be counter productive and amount to self sabotage to do so.
