By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Thursday said, its troops deployed in all theatres of operations across the federation, killed no fewer than 99 terrorists and arrested 198 in one week.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said this is Abuja while briefing Defence Correspondent on the operational activities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies across the federation.
He noted that the troops are maximizing their substantial advantages, such as air superiority and aerial cover for the ground forces, against the enemy forces.
He noted that aside from the killing and arresting of the terrorists in their numbers, the armed forces have in the course of its operations, also destroyed a large number of terrorist infrastructure and continue to degrade their military capability.
Our war objective, he said is to destroy these groups, decapitate them, and erode their ability to wage terror attacks against citizens.
He said: “Troops conducted operations to curb the violent activities in the NE, NW and NC zones, as well as the sundry crimes in the SW zone. In the SE Zone, troops conducted offensive actions against the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN) as well as other miscreants engaged in diverse violent activities. While in the SS Zone, troops curtailed the sabotage of the nation’s oil infrastructure and theft of crude oil. The war against terrorists, insurgents, violent extremists and others creating insecurity in the country rages on, and the military is progressing towards its goal of destruction of these elements. In this war, the military is learning every day how to better deal with the threat posed by these groups”.
He said that the joint operational environment is witnessing communication and coordination of fires between ground and aerial assets to decimate the enemy on the ground.
He said the military is ready, capable and eager to continue its mission of securing the country by the destruction of terrorists, extremists and insurgents.
Noting that combat operations against these insurgents, terrorists and extremists remain one line of action, Gen. Buba said, it is for this reason that the armed forces are calling on Nigerians for support, particularly in the area of public opinion.
“We have to show support for our troops to win this war. The gallant men and women of the armed forces continue to put themselves in harm’s way to ensure the safety and security of citizens. We have to exhibit patriotism and encourage them in our public discussion,” he said.
The Director noted that the leadership of the armed forces under the Chief of Defence Staff, General CG Musa, is open to workable ideas to improve ongoing operations.
Nigeria, he said, belongs to us all and therefore victory in this war, is nonnegotiable, concluding that “together, we not just win, but we have dominion”.
