By Abdallah el-Kurebe, Editor
The Nigerian Army says in continuation of its stepped-up operations across the country, its troops in various operational theatres has continued to frustrate the activities of criminal elements.
A statement by the Media Coordinator of the Nigerian Army Operations, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, made available to newsdiaryonline on Tuesday disclosed that the troops recorded notable achievements between September 29th and October 1st 2019.
“In Operation Lafiya Dole Theatre, criminal insurgents met their waterloo when troops of Sector 3 supported by the Air Task Force (ATF) successfully repelled an attack on Gubio in Gubio LGA of Borno State.
“The gallant troops neutralized 2 of the criminal insurgents and recovered one Gun Truck, 2 AK 47 Rifles, one Anti Air Craft Gun. Additionally, 51 civilians hitherto held hostage by the criminals were rescued during the encounter. The troops continue to dominate the area with fighting/clearing patrols, ambush, raids as well as cordon and search operations.
“Similarly, troops of the Sector, acting on timely information also arrested 4 male suspects with large consignments of dried fish intended for delivery to the criminal insurgents. All 4 suspects are currently undergoing interrogation where they are giving useful information,” the statement read in parts.
It added that “troops of 7 Division Garrison in conjunction with their counterparts from 212 Battalion and Nigerian Army Super Camp 4 (NASC) during a clearance operation at Mada Village in Konduga LGA of Borno State, arrested a pickup truck conveying 3 adult females, 15 adult males and 3 rustled cows.
“The claim by the suspects that they were of the Shuwa extraction was refuted by the locals in the area as none of the suspects could speak any of the local languages.
“Preliminary investigation has revealed that one of the suspects and an NGO operating within the Theatre had been communicating at various times. Investigation further revealed that the suspect is on a WhatsApp chat platform with the same NGO,” the statement further read.
Another feat, the statement revealed is that “troops of 27 Task Force Brigade Garrison, while on aggressive patrol to deny criminal insurgents freedom of action within their Area of Responsibility (AOR), discovered 2 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted along the route in Buni Gari, Gujba LGA of Yobe State. The IEDs were safely detonated by the Explosive Ordinance Device (EOD) team.”
For Operation Mesa, “Nigerian Army troops continued to cover other parts of the Country within the ambit of Operation Mesa to ensure the safety and security of the citizens.
“Troops of 245 Battalion, while responding to a distress call, promptly intervened and averted a bloody clash at Mkpani community in Yakuur LGA of Cross River State between the youths of Ajare and Edume clans during a New Yam Festival held in the Community. Items recovered from the scene include 2 Dane guns, one locally made pistol, 2 axes and one cutlass.
“In a related development, troops of 9 Brigade Garrison while on a joint patrol with personnel of the Nigeria Police Ejigbo Division in Suru-Lere LGA of Lagos State, discovered an abandoned AK 47 Rifle with Registration Number 562558860 inside a drainage in the general area of Ejigbo. The recovered weapon has since been handed over to Nigeria Police Ejigbo Division for further action,” the Army stated.
Colonel Iliyasu assured Nigerians of the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai’s resolve to safeguard the territorial integrity of Nigeria in aid of civil authority.
The Army requested good and law-abiding citizens to go about their normal economic activities without fear of molestation, as well as assist with any useful information that would help in the Army’s operational efforts aimed at ridding the society of criminal elements and other miscreants.
