FG pushes non-kinetic approach in S’East besides military operations

ANDREW OROLUA, ABUJA.

Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd), has led a Federal Government delegation to Enugu State for the “HMOD/CDS Security Meeting with Stakeholders in the South East Geopolitical Zone.”

Defence Headquarters said Thursday it was hopeful that the meeting which was held last week Friday would go a long way in addressing the seemingly intractable security challenges in the South East.

Acting Director, Defence Media Operation, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko who disclosed this during a media briefing on the activities of troops between June 3rd and 16th said it was an extra-ordinary non-kinetic approach to the seemingly intractable security challenges.

According to Onyeuko, the Minister was accompanied by the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbeshola, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Eluonye Irabor and representatives of the Service Chiefs.

He explained that during the summit, a whole range of security challenges were discussed with all the Governors of the South East States, religious leaders, traditional rulers, opinion leaders and other stakeholders in attendance.

The discussions and decisions reached at the end of the security summit were far reaching and would go a long way in tackling and bringing peace to the Region, he said.

Onyeuko also said that troops’ operational efforts have continued to deny criminals freedom of operation and “we remain resolute to take decisive and adequate actions to further abate terrorists and bandits’ activities as well as other vices across the Country.”

Meanwhile, the Military High Command have lauded the efforts of the troops for their resilience and unrelenting commitment and encouraged the public to support military efforts “by providing credible and timely information that will facilitate our proactive engagements.”

Also speaking, General Onyeuko said troops operational activities in Operation HADARIN DAJI in North West zone and theatre of operation between 3 and 16 June 2021 were characterized with ambush operations, aggressive fighting patrols, air raids, sustained air Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance patrols as well as cordon and search operations.

These operations yielded attendant successes in the period under review adding that troops, during an ambush operation on 3 June, intercepted and neutralized some gunrunners who were in possession of assorted arms and ammunition between Naimaimai Village and Sabon Birni Town in Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State.

Similarly, on 4 June 2021, troops, following credible intelligence report, conducted cordon and search operation along Gurbin Baure – Jibia Road in Katsina State. During the operation, troops intercepted and neutralized some armed bandits.

In another development on 6 June, 2021, the Air Component of Operation HADARIN DAJI conducted air raids on bandits’ enclaves at Jibia area in Katsina State. The air raid led to the neutralization of several armed bandits and destruction of structures used as hideouts.

In same vein, troops while on aggressive fighting patrol arrested some kidnappers and rescued some of their victims at Bena Market in Danko Wasagu LGA of Kebbi State. During the operation, large caches of arms and ammunition as well as equipment and vehicles were captured from the criminal elements.

Troops have continued to dominate the theatre of operation with aggressive patrols and sustained air intelligence surveillance to deny bandits freedom of operation.

Within the period under review, troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN also conducted non-kinetic operations as meetings were held at different locations in its area of responsibility including Wasa Village in Sanga LGA of Kaduna State and Tafawa Village in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State among others.

Meanwhile, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko has assured that troops in various theatres of operation across the country are making steady progress resulting in a comparative decrease in criminal activities.

The briefing covered from June 3rd to 16th 2021.

According to Onyeuko, “troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies have continued to tackle the security challenges, characterized by killings, maiming and destruction of properties by criminal elements across the Country.”

He said that within the period in focus, “troops sustained the onslaught against all forms of criminalities by conducting series of operations ranging from aggressive ground operations to comprehensive air operations and exclusive maritime operations against criminal elements and their enclaves.”

The operations highlighted in the brief are Operations HADIN KAI; HADARIN DAJI; SAFE HAVEN; WHIRL STROKE; DELTA SAFE; and AWATSE as well as non-kinetic approach in tackling the security challenges.

On Operation HADIN KAI in the North East Zone of the country where Boko Haram insurgency have been disturbing in the past ten years, General Onyeuko said that troops conducted several raid operations and extensive air strikes. They also responded to distress calls as well as repelled and thwarted terrorists’ attacks.

The operations were conducted concurrently in different locations in the North East Zone of the Country and these include Damboa Town in Borno State where air strikes executed with NAF platforms on 3 June, dislodged several terrorists and inflicted significant damages on their logistics facilities.”

Troops also repelled terrorists’ attacks on Damboa Town in Borno State on same June 3rd, where several fighters of the ISWAP sect, including one of their commander named Umar Tela, were neutralized.

Other locations where troops recorded significant results were; Gujba Town in Gujba LGA of Yobe State, Magumeri Town in Borno State and Mubi Town in Mubi LGA of Adamawa State; where troops conducted raid operations on Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) hideouts on June 4th and 5th 2021.

Brigadier General Onyeuko said that in the course of these operations within the period under review, several of terrorists were neutralized, while some escaped with gunshot wounds.

“Large number of their gun trucks and other logistics facilities were destroyed in the process. Troops operations also led to the arrest of some terrorists and kidnappers including the leader of a notorious kidnapping syndicate in the North East Zone, named Mohammed Maki, who is a Chadian.”

Troops also recovered large caches of arms and ammunition, large quantities of PMS and AGO in jerry cans in the course of the operations, he said, adding that the troops superior operational engagements have continued to degrade the terrorists’ operational capabilities and deny them freedom of operation in the North East theatre.

In other cases, some kidnapped victims were rescued and rustled cattle recovered; and economic saboteurs arrested.