…as additional terrorist surrender
The Defence Headquarters has vowed that it would smoke-out any terrorists group operating under any guise in any part of the country.
Speaking while giving update of military operations across the country in the past week, the Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche said the Nigerian Military would continue to intensify its efforts to bust any splinter cells operated any group before it degenerate to full blown terrorist organisation.
It will be recalled that the United State African Command (AFRICOM) raised an alarm recently that ISIS backed terrorists groups are infiltrating many African countries, Nigeria inclusive.
Last week the military busted a splinter cell of Daru-Salam group and recovered large cache of explosives and ammunition at Utu in Toro Local Government Area of Nasarawa state. About 410 members of the groups surrendered to the military during the operations.
He said the military during a follow up operations also arrested additional 290 members of the Daru-Salam group, and destroyed their camps along Koton Karfe in Kogi and parts of Nasarawa States.
Enenche said the military would continue to intensify its effort to nip in the bud any suspected group before it escalates a full terrorist organisation.
Giving the recent update, Enenche said the military have killed three terrorists and arrested six of them in different operations in the North east in the past one week. He added the Nigerian Air Force fighter jet also destroyed Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) hideouts during air strikes while led to the death of scores of their fighters at Kaza along Gulumba Gana – Kumshe axis in Borno State.
He said troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN arrested five suspected drug peddlers during a patrol in Angwan Duruwa area in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau state. He added that troops in conjunction with personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) Plateau State Command arrested two kidnappers during a raid at Unguwan Chiroma in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.
On the fight against oil thefts in the South West zone, Enenche said troops of Operation AWATSE uncovered 350 litres of Premium Motor Spirit contained in seven jerry cans of 50 litres during a patrol by Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT at Akimbo and Orita on the Atlas Cove Island.
In the South-South zone, he said: “troops of Operation DELTA SAFE under subsidiary Operation SILENT HEAT, intercepted and arrested three medium sizes wooden boats laden with 796 bags of 50kg of foreign parboiled rice smuggled in from the Republic of Cameroon. The patrol team also intercepted and arrested five medium size wooden boats laden with 120 drums of product suspected to be Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) with nine suspects around Effiat Waterways and James Town respectively.”
On the ongoing operation against bandits in North West, Enenche said troops of Operations HADARIN DAJI and SAHEL SANITY killed two bandits and arrested three suspected cattle rustlers during an ambush along Gobirawa and Zaka villages.
