By Linus Aleke, with agency report
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, in an early morning air strike yesterday dislodged terrorists from their enclaves at Suwa in Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Director of Public Relations and Information of NAF, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, yesterday in Abuja.
Gabkwet said that Suwa was a stronghold of Boko Haram terrorists in the Gezuwa general area near Sambisa Forest until it was dislodged by the military and other security agencies.
He said that recent intelligence revealed the massing up of terrorists within the area with likely plans to attack troops on patrol along major routes to Bama and Mafa Local Government Areas of the state.
According to him, further intelligence also revealed that the same group of terrorists had perfected plans to attack troops stationed around Rann in Kalabalge Local Government Area.
“Accordingly, air strikes were authorized with confirmatory assessments revealing several terrorists neutralised and structures destroyed thereby degrading their ability to attack friendly forces and innocent law-abiding civilians.
“It has now become evident that the efforts of the entire security agencies operating in the North-East have, to a large extent, yielded the requisite outcome, though a lot still needs to be done.
“The need to sustain the momentum is thus expedient, just all the support of all Nigerians to the Armed Forces and other security agencies is essential as they clear the region of all criminal elements.
“For the Air Component Commanders in all joint operating theatres, the directive of the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, remains clear and unambiguous: that is ‘Stop at nothing in going after these criminals and ensure they are brought to justice. The era of treating them with kid gloves is long over,” he said.
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*We’ve curtailed Boko Haram activities in N’ East, other regions– CoAS Lagbaja
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, yesterday said that the activities of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with sister services and other security agencies, in the North East have effectively curtailed activities of Boko Haram and other criminal elements in the region.
He noted that these efforts have resulted in the large-scale surrender of members of the terrorist groups and the submission of a large cache of arms and ammunition.
Lagbaja, said this while declaring open the Chief of Army Staff Combined Second and Third Quarters Conference 2023, at Army Headquarters Command Officers Mess 1, Asokoro, Abuja.
The CoAS said, the good people of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States are steadily picking up their livelihood as the military, in collaboration with the government, is helping to restore governance to the hitherto deprived areas.
He said that the operational activities of troops in Operation Hadarin Daji, and Operation Whirl Punch, have also greatly checkmated banditry and insurgency in the North West and North Central regions of the country.
He said, “We have equally heightened our efforts in containing criminalities perpetrated in the South East Region by the Indigenous People of Biafra and Eastern Security Network. Through Operation Udoka, our troops have, in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, put an end to the infamous sit-at-home order that has almost crippled socio-economic activities in the region.
“Law-abiding citizens of the region now go about their businesses and everyday life. Similarly, our joint efforts with various government agencies have quelled attempts by criminals to disrupt economic activities in the South-West region.
“Our troops’ upscaled anti-illegal oil bunkering operations in Operation Delta Safe in the South-South region have also yielded tremendous outcomes. Although we are not there yet in terms of the level of success we hope to achieve in our anti-illegal bunkering operations; there is no denying the fact that we have seen appreciable improvement in the country’s daily crude production.
“As you are aware, all military operations come at a cost, the quantum of which cannot be accurately determined before they are incurred. To this end, it is an open secret that we have sometimes suffered painful setbacks and have paid for our successes in blood and treasures.
“However, I am glad to observe that we have remained resolute in our drive to deny all criminal elements in our society respite, as their dastardly acts have only strengthened our resolve to intensify our onslaught against them.”
Lagbaja averred that in a bid to further enhance its operational effects, the Nigerian Army has established some Special Forces units using specially trained personnel to tackle various criminalities across the country.
The Special Forces units, he said, have continued to record impressive performances through intelligence-led operations and the use of special equipment.
Lagbaja, who used the opportunity to unveil his Command philosophy to the principal staff officers, formation commanders, and other appointees, noted that his command’s philosophy would guide and drive their actions and engagements as he led the Nigerian Army into becoming a force ready to operate and respond to any form of threat in any domain.
Earlier in his address of welcome, the Chief of Policy and Plan, Army, Maj. Gen AB Ibrahim, said, the conference is indeed unique as it is the maiden quarterly conference under the astute leadership of the current Chief of Army Staff.
He noted that the contributions and inputs of participants during the conference will help the Nigerian Army consolidate its successes towards chatting a progressive cause in reshaping the future of the Nigerian Army.
This conference, he said is timely as it is intended to provide a conducive environment for the service to brainstorm and have a firm deliberation on the state of affairs of the Nigerian Army as well as plan for other activities for the security of our beloved nation.
The highlight of the conference was the presentation of the new Toyota Hilux Van to eight deserving Army Warrant Officers (AWOs).
One of the recipients who spoke to ThisNigeria, thanked the Chief of Army Staff for the good gesture, stressing that to whom much is given, much is expected.
He noted that the prioritization of personnel welfare by the Chief of Army Staff will spur them to do more in their assigned responsibilities.
