With 376 terrorists neutralized in six weeks this year as a clear signal that 2024 is another hot year for criminals, the Nigerian military yesterday restated its resolve never to look back in the face of certain untoward developments in parts of the country. It maintained that unity among citizens is the key to winning.
Director Defence Media Operations at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Major General Edward Buba disclosed this on Thursday at a regular bi-weekly media briefing on activities and successes in the various operational theaters across all the six geo-political zones of the country.
He said that the past one week alone saw 105 terrorists neutralized by troops apart from 266 terrorists who were neutralized in January this year, pointing out complete normalcy would soon be achieved as more successes were coming until the country is rid of crime and criminality.
According to him, the troops whose morale are at an all-time high arrested 140 terrorists, rescued 86 kidnapped hostages in the past week alone compared to 463 violent extremists and insurgents who were arrested and 116 kidnapped hostages rescued in January.
“Since the beginning of the year, several terrorists and their leaders have been killed or badly injured owing to offensive actions by some combined efforts at both land and air forces”.
“Troops are continuing their actions even at this very moment and we are proud of them and appreciate their brave conduct, even though it might not seem that way due to recent events across the country”, he said
He stressed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria under the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa will leave no stone unturned to ram home its message that the current unconditional crackdown on insecurity in the country was real, total and non-negotiable.
Major General Edward Buba said that in view of a few security challenges experienced in some parts of the country, the fact remained that the goal of the nation’s military high command to restore peace, security and enjoyable life for Nigerian citizens was unshakeable.
“We will continue to do that (stamp out insecurity) in spite of the current circumstances, troops will continue fighting with great effort, determination and sacrifice to bring about great results”, he said.
The Director Defence Media Operations at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Major General Edward Buba further stated against the backdrop of alleged fears and doubts in certain quarters, the nation is winning the ongoing war. he disclosed that in the month of January 2024, for instance, troops recovered 447 assorted weapons and 6,697 assorted ammunitions.
“In the month of January 2024, troops operating in the South South denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of Two Billion Eight Hundred and Twenty One Million Five Hundred and Three Thousand and Nine Hundred Sixty Two Naira (N2,821,503,962.00)”, he said.
He gave a breakdown of the troops’ exploits for the month of January as follows: 237 AK47 rifles, 26 locally fabricated guns, 18 pump action guns, 55 dane guns, 6,807 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 421 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 16 rounds of 9mm and 506 live cartridges.
Others were 1,832,150 litres of stolen crude oil, 523,799 litres of illegally refined AGO, 16,716 litres of DPK and 5,200 litres of PMS amongst other items.
Within the week under review, he said, troops arrested 26 perpetrators of oil robbery in the South South, denying them of the theft of oil worth Two Hundred and Twenty Million Eight Hundred and Thirty Nine Thousand and Five Hundred Naira (N220, 839,500.00).
Additionally, troops recovered 208 assorted weapons and 5,332 assorted ammunition included 95 AK47 rifles, one assault rifle, 39 locally fabricated guns, 34 dane guns, 14 pump action guns, 4 fabricated pistol, 3 fabricated pump action gun, one fabricated revolver pistol, 2 fabricated double barrel gun and locally fabricated arty pieces.
Others included 3,830 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 640 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 265 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 98 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammo, 62 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 64 rounds of 9mm ammo, 359 live cartridges, 8 magazines, 6 mobile phones and the sum of N383, 200.00 amongst other items.
He further disclosed that troops in the oil-rich Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 9 dugout pits, 19 boats, 21 storage tanks and 8 vehicles while other items recovered included 35 cooking ovens, 3 pump machines and 18 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 157,300 litres of stolen crude oil, 23,750 litres of illegally refined AGO and 1,050 litres of DPK.
Major General Edward Buba while fielding questions from reporters at the briefing contended that most of the security challenges confronting the country were self-inflicted hence the need for all citizens to rise in unison against the challenges.
“Given all the stated above, and also because our security challenges are mostly self-inflicted (in the sense that it is not as a result of external aggression), it is pertinent to urge citizens to rise up to the challenge. It is time to stop the bleeding in order for healing to commence”, he stated.
Major General Edward Buba, a fellow Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) 39 Regular Course-mate of the three chiefs of Army, Navy and the Air Force, was enlisted into the Intelligence Corps of the Nigerian Army. He canvassed that unity remained the key to victory in overcoming the security challenges confronting a nation. He described the current war as a national war that required national consensus as a critical factor for success.
He urged all segments of the Nigerian society to take a cue from our gallant troops in the front lines fighting to achieve the goal of liquidating terrorists and insurgents across the country in order to restore peace and security.
He said: “It is pertinent to urge citizens to rise up to the challenge. It is time to stop the bleeding in order for healing to commence.
“I urge all segments of society to take example from our gallant troops in the frontlines fighting to achieve the goal of liquidating terrorists and insurgents across the country in order to restore peace and security.
‘’These men and women, are from all the nooks and cranny of our country, and act shoulder to shoulder as a united force to achieve a common cause of destroying camps of violence in the country.
”Just like what our footballers are doing to make the nation proud at the ongoing AFCON, our musicians and artists are doing on the world stage and our athletes flying our flags high with pride. It is not beyond us with our resilient spirit to quench the fires of violence across the country.
”Unity is key to our victory in overcoming the security challenges confronting us as a nation. Indeed, it must be said that, militaries don’t go to war rather it is nations that go to war. Our nation is at war, and wars can be complex and ugly. Already, we are witnessing some of the ugly trends of war across the country.
”It is time for citizens to close ranks with the military to win this war. Citizens are critical in war, and must therefore be quick to realize their role in the ongoing war and act” he said.
