Military Intensifies Offensive Operations Against Boko Haram, ISWAP As COAS Visits Gov Muhammad, Division 8

In continuation of the ongoing intensive clearance operations across the theatre of Operation Hadin Kai,OPHK, more Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) and elements of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and their families, who have hitherto hibernated around the fringes of Sambisa forest have yielded to troops’ heavy artillery and air bombardments and surrendered to troops at Forward Operational Base (FOB) Banki Junction/BOCOBS in Bama, Borno State on  August 2.

Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director, Army Public Relations stated this in a statement made available to NAOSRE.

In the statement, the Army spokesman disclosed that the terrorists who also surrendered several assorted weapons and incendiaries comprised 19 male fighters, 19 adult females and 49 children from Njimia village and environs.

According to him, the terrorists lamented that the ground and condition in the forest have become untenable, hence their surrendering.

The firearms and incendiaries recovered from the terrorists include eight AK 47 rifles, one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), two Fabrique Nationale (FN) Rifles, 1 Dane Gun, 1Makarov Pistol, 89 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, 89 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, 66 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 5 x 9mm rounds of ammunition, 2 Hand Grenades, 27 AK 47 Rifle magazines and 2 FN Rifle magazines.

Others are 1 pistol magazine, 1 x 60mm Mortar Bomb, 10 x14.5mm empty cases, 2 primed suicide vests, 72 trigger switches, 10 primed Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), 5 Electric Detonating Chords, 6 packs of Water Gel Explosives,  6 Mobile Phones, 1 Camel Pack, 1 Camouflage bag, 2 Hard drives, 1 Plier,  2 Unserviceable Handheld Radios, 2 Scissors,  and needles, 2 Matchboxes and the sum of Fifty Five Thousand Naira (N55,000:00) only.

The terrorists and their families are currently undergoing comprehensive security profiling and preliminary investigations, while the children have been administered with oral polio vaccines.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has commended the troops for the sustained offensive and clearance operations conducted in the theatre. He charged them to maintain the momentum of the operations.

Specifically, Yahaya has charged troops of 8 Division and Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD) to intensify their operations against bandits marauding in parts of North West, Nigeria.

The COAS gave the charge Wednesday 4 August 2021 in Gusau, the Zamfara state capital, while addressing troops during his operational tour of 8 Division and its formations and units.

Commending the troops for their operational exploits in curtailing the activities of the criminals, General Yahaya urged them to promote synergy among the military and other security agencies, describing it, as a strategy that will speed up the end of banditry in the region.

The COAS urged the officers and soldiers to be proactive and resilient in order to crush the bandits and expedite the restoration of normalcy to the affected states. He assured the troops that their welfare is uppermost in the agenda of his command.

General Yahaya admonished them to ensure they conduct their operations in compliance with extant operational codes of conduct and regulations.

He added that troops must always show respect for the fundamental human rights of law-abiding citizens in the conduct of their operations.

Meanwhile, in his brief to the COAS, the General Officer Commanding 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Usman Yusuf informed that troops’ anti-banditry operations have been reinvigorated to expeditiously bring about peace and stability in the region.

In the same vein, the COAS also paid a courtesy call on the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Dr Bello Muhammad, where discussions were held on the security situation of the state and the North West in general.

The high point of the visit was the presentation of the Nigerian Army’s memento to the Governor.