Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters Abuja, has said the ongoing operations against terrorists and insecurity across the country is a war in which the military must win.
Buba in a statement on Thursday, disclosed that the armed forces is hunting down prominent terrorist leadership.
He said,”The ongoing operations against terrorists and insecurity across the country is a war in which the military has no choice but to win, and we are winning the war.
“The armed forces is hunting down prominent terrorist leadership and engaging them wherever they are hiding. These operations are being conducted in accordance with the laws of armed conflict and based on intelligence.
“The ongoing operations are also based on both military necessity and on distinguishing between civilians, noncombatants, and terrorists. The military will continue to take the fight to the terrorists and their cohorts until they are destroyed or surrendered.”
Gen. Buba disclosed that during the week in focus, air assets conducted aggressive air flights on confirmed locations active with the movement of terrorist commanders and their foot soldiers.
“Strikes carried out resulted in over 38 terrorist commanders and their foot soldiers, while 159 of them were arrested,” he said.
He revealed that recently, the military conducted two major air strikes on terrorist enclave.
“One of the strikes, on 6 Dec 23, neutralized several top terrorist commanders. Namely, one Machika, a top terrorist bomb expert and younger brother of notorious terrorist(Dogo Gide). Others prominent terrorist leaders neutralised include Haro and Dan Muhammadu both of whom are specialist in kidnapping and assault operations respectively.
“Additionally, on 11 Dec 23, through synchronised strike between air and ground forces aimed at the same target. A renowned terrorist leader responsible for the abduction of the students of Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, Ali Alhaji ALHERI popularly called Kachalla Ali KAWAJE was neutralize in Munya LGA of Niger state along with many of his foot soldiers.
“The military is fast closing in on others and they will equally suffer the same fate.”
He further said,”In the SE, on 13 Dec 2023 troops in conjunction with other security agencies apprehended a prominent commander of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and it’s armed affiliate the Eastern Security Network (ESN). The commander, one Mr Uchechukwu Akpa was arrested together with three other sub- commanders, namely Udoka Anthony Ude, Ikechukwu Ulanta, and Ezennaya Udeigewere.
“The trio were arrest after a raid on their hideout at Christ the King Catholic Church Ameta Mgbowo in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State. They gathered to plot a take over the leadership of IPOB/ESN Auto Pilot Command Enugu State Chapter from the apprehended former Commander known as “Chocho”. They also planned to attack troop locations.
“During the raid, Mr Uchechukwu Akpa sustained a gunshot wound while trying to escape. It could be recalled that Mr Uchechukwu Akpa was the Second in Command to Chocho a notorious IPOB/ESN leader currently in custody. Subsequently, another raid connected with the arrest was conducted on 14 Dec 23.
“Troops recovered one AK 47 Rifle, Two AK 47 Magazine, 25 rounds of 7.62mm NATO special ammunition and one Pump action rifle,” he said.
Gen. Buba said the operations of the week in focus, equally resulted in the arrest of 66 perpetrators of oil theft and the rescued of 89 kidnapped hostages.
According him, In the SS, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of One Hundred and Sixty One Million Two Hundred and Thirty Two Thousand Five Hundred Naira (N161,232,500.00) only.
“Furthermore, troops recovered 67 assorted weapons and 1,194 assorted ammunition. The breakdown are as follows: 20 AK47 rifles, 4 pump action guns, 5 locally fabricated rifles, 2 locally fabricated double barrel guns, one barreta pistol, 4 locally made pistols, 13 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 1,152 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 13 rounds of 9mm ammo, one round of 5.56mm ammo, 15 live cartridges.
“Others are: one magazine loaded with 8 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, one LMG magazine, one CZ pistol magazine, 7 empty magazines, one locally made pistol magazine, one damaged magazine, one dane gun butt, 5 vehicles, 14 mobile phones, 32 motorcycles, one laptop and the sum of N1,123,800.00 amongst other items.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area destroyed 15 dugout pits, 25 boats, 74 storage tanks, 14 vehicles, 115 cooking ovens, 13 reservoirs, 10 cooling systems, 10 receivers, 3 pumping machines, 64 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 357,350 litres of stolen crude oil, 185,300 litres of illegally refined AGO and 20,600 litres of PMS.
“The armed forces is winning the war, and have the upper hand. Ongoing operations would only be completed, once the terrorist surrender or are totally defeated.”
