…No holiday for military personnel, says DHQ
KEMI OMONIYI
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has placed all military personnel on red alert, stressing that they are to remain at their duty posts as Nigerian citizens proceed on holidays for Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year Day celebrations.
Director of Media Operations, Major General Musa Danmadami, disclosed this in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, on Thursday, while fielding questions during the bi- weekly media briefing on the activities of the military and other security agencies across the country.
He said the military is not going on break and would not relent on its efforts to normalise all theatres and to curb the activities of criminals across the country during the public holidays and as well as working days. “We assure Nigerians and foreigners alike that we will continue to work to ensure that the country is safe,” he said.
Major General Danmadami disclosed that efforts by the military and other security agencies in the past three weeks was a huge success. It resulted in troops recovery of 20 AK47 rifles, two G3 rifles, five FN rifles, two QJC guns, one gun truck, 2,411 rounds of 7.62mm special, 143 belted rounds of 7.62mm NATO from terrorists in the North-East Zone of the country.
Other items recovered from terrorists also include one barreta pistol, 26 AK47 magazines, four bandoliers, 4 x 36 hand grenades, 1 x 42 hand grenade, one RPG tube, one HEAP bomb, one HEAT bomb, one mortar tube, two mortar tripod stands and a 60mm mortar bomb.
Troops also recovered 33 motorcycles, 33 bicycles, medical suppliers, 50 pieces of males and females fabrics, bags of grains, jerrycans of groundnut oil, cartons of detergents, the sum of N291,060.00 and other sundry items.
Not less than 103 terrorists were neutralised while 4 terrorists commanders were apprehended, 12 Boko Haram Terrorists logistics suppliers and two terrorist collaborators as well as four terrorists spies were arrested.
Thirty (30) abducted civilians were rescued while a total of “423 Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists and members of their families comprises, of 41 adult males, 126 adult females and 222 children surrendered to own troops at different locations within the theatre.”
According to Director of Media Operations, in the North Central Zone, troops of operation Safe Haven raided the residence of a notorious gun runner who had been on troops wanted list at Rampla village in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Troops on December 8, 2022, in conjunctions with other security agencies raided Karamajiji and Lugbe general areas in Abuja Municipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory to rid the general area of the menace of criminal elements and intercepted a total of 429 motorcycles.
The Director of Media Operations maintained that own troops operations in the North West Zone also continue to record successes.
“They have sustained operational activities through the conduct of fighting patrols, raid and clearance operations to clear bandits and terrorists enclaves within various towns and Local Government Areas of Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kaduna States.”
He said on December 3, 2022, troops conducted fighting patrols to an identified bandits hideout at Ungawan Babale and Rafin Sarki in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State and made contact with the terrorists.
“Following the fire fight, troops neutralised five terrorists while others fled. Equally, on December 7, 2022, troops on fighting patrol at Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State arrested a suspected gun runner who has been on the wanted list of troops at a filling station while refueling his car.
“Items recovered from him include five AK47 rifles, 4,000 rounds of 7.6mm special ammo concealed in a sack, four magazines, teargas cannister as well as knives.”
Also, on December 4, 2022, troops in response to distress call on terrorist attack at Maigamji village in Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State made contact with the terrorist and neutralised three bandits while others fled with gun shot wounds.
A search conducted by the troops on area resulted in the recovery of a bag containing seven AK 47 magazines loaded with 204 rounds of 7.62mm special, two motorcycles and a mobile phone, the director said.
