The Nigerian military has continued its offensive against terrorists, bandits and economic saboteurs resulting in the killing of 28 of them in the last two weeks.
These were disclosed by Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations on Thursday even as he gave details of the ambush of troops by the bandits recently in Niger State.
Buba who was briefing journalists at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja warned that the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) was more than ever determined to bring to an end, activities of the enemies of the country.
Said he, “During the week leading to 17 August 2023, the military neutralized 28 terrorists, arrested 92 terrorists, 6 gunrunners, 3 kidnappers, 6 collaborators, 7 perpetrators of oil theft.
“Troops also rescued 82 kidnapped hostages and denied oil theft the sum of Eight Hundred and Seventy-Six Million Four Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand Eight Hundred Naira (N876,451,800.00) only.”
“Overall, troops recovered 108 weapons and 564 ammunition. The breakdown as follows: 22 AK47 rifles, one PKT gun, 6 pump action guns, 4 dane guns, one fabricated rifle, one galil ace rifle, one RGP bomb, one RPG tube, 44 hand grenades, 322 rounds of 7.62mm special, 63 rounds of 12.7mm ammo, 12 rounds of 5.6mm ammo, 33 AK47 magazines, one empty case of 7.62mm special and 3 empty magazines.
“Other items”, General Buba added “include; 14 motorcycles, 16 mobile phones, 3 motorolla radio, one boafeng radio, 2 motorcycle tyres, 5 touch lights, 2 solar panels, 104 livestock and the sum of Two Million Eight Hundred and Ninety-Six Thousand Four Hundred Naira (N2,896,400.00).”
On economic saboteurs, the Director said, “Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 36 dugout pits, 62 wooden boats, 73 storage tanks, one vehicle and 75 cooking ovens. Others include; 4 pumping machine, 5 outboard engine and 33 illegal refining sites. Furthermore, troops recovered 1,166,900 litres of stolen crude oil, 1,491,250litres of illegally refined AGO,54,750 litres of DPK and 800 litres of PMS.
“No doubt, the armed forces possess the power and the will to hunt down those that wish to bring harm upon our citizens. The ongoing operations is a message to those that question the resolve of the military. It is also a message to members of these violent extremist groups that think they can hide.
“They can be rest assured that others shall raise their sons and daughters, as no one will strike at the military without injurious consequences”, General Buba warned.
On the recent ambush of troops of the AFN by the terrorists in Niger State, the Director of Defence Media Operations speaking ex-tempore said the AFN lost some of its men including “the 14 of those killed in action, 7 of the previously wounded personnel, the two pilots and the two crew men when the plane that went to evacuate the casualties crashed”.
Buba said the caused of the crash of the airforce plane would be made known once on-going investigations reveal it.
The occasion observed a minute silence in honour of the fallen soldiers.
Meanwhile, a call has gone to media people to publish only accurate and verified facts on military operations especially as they relate to the fight against terrorists.
Speaking during the press briefing on why the media should support troops tackling terrorists and bandits, the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Airforce, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet said that in times like this, the media should show patriotism in reporting security challenges facing the country.
He lamented recent reports in some media (not Globalupfront Newspapers) on the recent ambush of troops by terrorists in Niger State and the crash of Nigerian Airforce plane which Gabkwet described as not being factual and at the same time glorifying the terrorists.
Below is the fulltext of the prepared speech by General Edward Buba:
PRESS BRIEFING ON ONGOING MILITARY OPERATIONS BY THE ARMED FORCES OF NIGERIA AS AT 17 AUGUST 2023
1. The military is strategically deployed across the country to conduct operations aimed at curtailing the activities of violent extremist groups fomenting insecurity in the country. To this end, troops will continue to respond with overwhelming military force against any group that threatens the safety of citizens and own forces. The men and women of the armed forces will continued to put themselves in harms ways, time and time again, to protect our great nation.
2. During the week leading to 17 August 2023, the military neutralized 28 terrorists, arrested 92 terrorists, 6 gunrunners, 3 kidnappers, 6 collaborators, 7 perpetrators of oil theft. Troops also rescued 82 kidnapped hostages and denied oil theft the sum of Eight Hundred and Seventy-Six Million Four Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand Eight Hundred Naira (N876,451,800.00) only.
3. Overall, troops recovered 108 weapons and 564 ammunition. The breakdown as follows: 22 AK47 rifles, one PKT gun, 6 pump action guns, 4 dane guns, one fabricated rifle, one galil ace rifle, one RGP bomb, one RPG tube, 44 hand grenades, 322 rounds of 7.62mm special, 63 rounds of 12.7mm ammo, 12 rounds of 5.6mm ammo, 33 AK47 magazines, one empty case of 7.62mm special and 3 empty magazines. Other items include; 14 motorcycles, 16 mobile phones, 3 motorolla radio, one boafeng radio, 2 motorcycle tyres, 5 touch lights, 2 solar panels, 104 livestock and the sum of Two Million Eight Hundred and Ninety-Six Thousand Four Hundred Naira (N2,896,400.00).
4. Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 36 dugout pits, 62 wooden boats, 73 storage tanks, one vehicle and 75 cooking ovens. Others include; 4 pumping machine, 5 outboard engine and 33 illegal refining sites. Furthermore, troops recovered 1,166,900 litres of stolen crude oil, 1,491,250litres of illegally refined AGO,54,750 litres of DPK and 800 litres of PMS.
5. No doubt, the armed forces possess the power and the will to hunt down those that wish to bring harm upon our citizens. The ongoing operations is a message to those that question the resolve of the military. It is also a message to members of these violent extremist groups that think they can hide. They can be rest assured that others shall raise their sons and daughters, as no one will strike at the military without injurious consequences.
EDWARD BUBA
Major General
Director Defence Media Operations