Smarting from its recent highly successful operation that led to the release of 23 remaining passengers held by terrorists that attacked the Abuja-Kaduna Train on March 28, 2022, the Defence Headquarters has mounted a major manhunt for the masterminds of the attacks. This is to fulfill Federal Government’s promise of appropriate justice to the hoodlums and succor to the traumatized victims.
Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Danmadami stated this at his now regular and well-attended Thursday’s bi-weekly press briefing which was held at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
While answering questions from journalists seeking details on operational activities of troops across the respective geo-political zones of the country, he said that though the release of the remaining kidnap victims was effected with the use of Non-Kinetic Approach meaning a less deployment of maximum military force against the abductors, the armed forces will apprehend the attacks and bring them to justice.
According to him, the release was secured by the Nigerian military working in collaboration with other security and intelligence agencies using the non-Kinetic Approach.
It will be recalled that during the dastardly attack by the terrorists of the Abuja-Kaduna Train on March 28, 2022, about eight passengers were killed and many others severely injured while between 60 and 150 passengers were taken into captivity for ransom, an incident which immediately sparked off national and international outrage.
Speaking on the DHQ-led operations that led to the final release of the remaining 23 victims of the Kaduna train terrorists attack which was earlier disclosed by the Secretary of the Chief of Defence Staff Action Committee, Professor Usman Yusuf on Wednesday in Abuja, Major General Danmadami reiterated the willingness and readiness of the armed forces of Nigeria, working in synergy with other security agencies, to apprehend and neutralize all terrorists involved towards bringing them to instant justice.
“In our operations, we tell you that, there are kinetic and non-kinetic operations. Non-kinectic approach was used for the release of 23 remaining victims. You don’t know the trauma that those abductees and their family members must have gone into, looking for details now may equally subject them to trauma. And we want to assure you, those terrorists involved will be neutralised soon”, he said.
It will also be recalled that following much pressure from relations of the victims which prompted President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting in Abuja with representatives of victims of the train abduction, he noted that his decision to stop maximum use of military force against the terrorists to rescue the remaining victims of the Kaduna train attack was to avoid collateral damage which trigger off further complications.
Further findings by this newspaper revealed that the president’s stance had provided fresh grounds for the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor leading heads of other security and intelligence agencies to adopt the Non-Kinetic Approach as a plausible means of dealing with the outcomes of the March 28 train attack while troops of the armed forces of Nigeria had continued, in the last 2 weeks, to conduct kinetic and non-kinetic operations in the various theatre of operations which have recorded significant results.
For example, according to him, 64 armed notorious youths who were dressed in black attires were arrested by troops in Abuja for trying to disrupt activities of the just-concluded National Independence Day Anniversary. He said they were still undergoing questioning.
He said: “The military on Thursday through Guards Brigade troops raided Karshi hill and surrounding villages in Abuja Municipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, arrested 64 youths in black attires armed with 9 locally made guns’’.
General Danmadami revealed that their arrest followed credible intelligence which revealed plans by the hoodlums to disrupt the Independence Day Celebration.
He added that troops of Guards Brigade also raided an identified illegal drug peddlers’ hideout along Koroduma-Asokoro Guzape in Abuja Municipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory and arrested 5 suspected drug peddlers, while 11 bags of substance suspected to be cannabis sativa were recovered from the suspects. He added that 33 suspected illegal miners were also arrested at an illegal mining site at Gwagwalada Area Council.
According to Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Musa Danmadami, Troops of Operation HADIN KAI in the North East Zone rescued 2 Chibok girls by name, Yana Pogu and Rejoice Senki on serial 19 and 70 of the abducted Chibok girls lists with their children, rescued 12 others abductees in Borno.
Giving further update, the Director Defence Media Operations noted that troops in the North Central Zone of the Country had continued to crack down on the activities of terrorist, bandits and criminal elements in their general area of operations.
He also said that troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE on 30 September 22 conducted raid operation at a suspected criminal hideout, neutralized 2 terrorists while other escaped with gunshot wounds at Otukpa in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
Similarly on the same day, troops responded to a distress call about the activities of a bandit leader identified as full fire and his gang members at Zaki Ibiam and Zamkara, arrested 3 One suspected bandit in his hideout, and recovered arms and ammunitions.
Troops in conjunction with the operatives of NSCDC arrested a notorious kidnapper and armed robber known as Anas Ayaro 22years who has been on the wanted list of security agencies along Layi in Bauchi State. The suspect is said to be the leader of a notorious gang involved in major kidnapping, cattle rustling and armed robbery incident in Plateau and neighboring states.”
