By Chimezie Godfrey
The Nigerian military has in the past two weeks eliminated 36 terrorists, arrest 137 gunmen, and 3 gunrunners, among other notable successes recorded in it’s fight against insecurity across the country.
This was disclosed by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Abuja, Major General Edward Buba during the bi-weekly briefing of newsmen of the activities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) and other security agencies across the theaters of operations.
Maj-Gen Buba said troops of Operation Hadin Kai, Safe Haven, Whirl Stroke, Hadarin Daji, Whirl Punch, Delta Safe, and Operation Udo Ka, recorded notable successes in the war against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and crude oil theft, among other sundry crimes across the geo political zones of the country.
He also revealed that within the period under review, the military has arrested 15 perpetrators of oil theft and recovered the sum of N3,177,650.00 in the Niger Delta region of the country.
He said,”The military has no greater priority than to restore normalcy and put an end to security challenges across the country. The men and women of the military have answered a call to duty to fight the perpetrators of these evil to submission. We are in a good fight, and must flush them out from amongst us.
“During the week and as at 3 August 2023, the military neutralized 36 terrorists, arrested 137 gunmen, 3 gunrunners, 2 kidnappers, 6 collaborators, 15 perpetrators of oil theft and recovered the sum of N3,177,650.00 as well as rescued 140 kidnapped hostages.
“In the course of operations across the country troops recovered a total number of 37 weapons and 370 ammunition. The breakdown is as follows: 16 Ak47 rifles, 6 pump action guns, 6 dane guns, 3 fabricated rifles, 2 locally made pistol, 199 rounds of 7.62mm special, 6 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 9 AK47 magazines and 2 G3 magazines, 8 vehicles, 45 motorcycles, 32 mobile phones, 925 machetes, 151 machete sharpeners.
“Others include: 61 dugout pits, 32 wooden boats, 87 storage tanks, one speedboat, 32 cooking ovens, 3 outboard engine, one generator, 2 pumping machines, 36 illegal refining sites, 310,700 litres of stolen crude oil, 14,675 litres Automotive Gas Oil, 49,000 Dual Purpose Kerosine and 5 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.”
Maj-Gen Buba assured that troops will sustain the momentum in tackling the security challenges and fight the perpetrators to submission.
“Overall, troops will sustain the momentum in tackling the security challenges and shall continue to fight the perpetrators to submission. It is expected that well-meaning Nigerians would continue to support the military and in deed stand with the military to flush out the perpetrators of these dastardly acts from amongst us. Together will can flush them out.
“In Nigeria of today, it is not enough “to see something and say something” as is popularly stated. There are more people than know things happening around them, than those who are waiting to see first before reporting. Consequently, “know something, say something and be assured the military will do something”. That’s how to flush them out from our midst,” he said.
