The Defence Headquarters has raised an alarm over a plot by terrorist groups and their sympathisers to blackmail the military over its air strikes targeted at dismantling terrorists and their enclaves.
Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba disclosed this on Thursday at the New Conference Room of the Defence Headquarters during a press conference with Journalists, noting that the plot is to present some of the casualties of the air strikes as innocent citizens.
He stated that the military has been professionally and painstakingly employing due diligence through Intelligence, Surveillance and Recognizance to identify terrorists and their hideouts before the air strikes are conducted. He further added that at some of the hideouts, the terrorists were clearly seen engaging the military aircraft in a gunfight before they were taken out.
According to General Buba, the air strikes have resulted in the death of several terrorists and their leaders who have been hiding in different enclaves, hence the plot by the terror groups to blackmail the military of attacking the civilian population through its latest air strikes.
He said: “The prerequisite of ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations by the military across the country is defeating the terrorist and dismantling their military, administrative and political capabilities. Accordingly, through our operations, we are continually boxing in the terrorist and dismantling their resupply routes.
“The military is working decisively to kill the terrorists, dismantle their networks and create conditions whereby they cannot carry out acts of terror or harm citizens. It is for these reasons that the armed forces would continue to hunt the leadership of these terrorist groups everywhere across these theatres of operations.
“Being a professional force, due diligence by way of Intelligence, Surveillance and Recogniance is painstakingly taken to distinguish the terrorist before air strikes are conducted. These air strikes have resulted in the death of several of these terrorist leaders and the cohorts hibernating in enclaves across the theatres of operation.
“It, therefore should not be surprising, that these terrorists and their sympathisers plot to blackmail the military as a result of these airstrikes. The plot is to depict some casualties as innocent citizens rather than cohorts of these terrorists.“
General Buba called on the public, particularly the media to be wary of the antics of the terrorist groups and their sympathisers, stressing that military operations have prevented “these evil elements from accomplishing their strategic objectives.”
Meanwhile, the Media Director also lamented that cases of insecurity across the country are self-inflicted as a result of different illicit activities being carried out by some bad elements.
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He, however, expressed the readiness of the military to confront any individual or group that take up arms against the Federal Republic of Nigeria under whatever guise.
General Buba said that as of 14 April 2022, troops killed no fewer than 192 terrorists, arrested 341, rescued 62 kidnapped hostages and arrested 37 perpetrators of oil theft. While a total of 122 ISWAP/JAS combatant terrorists surrendered with their family members.
“During the period under review, troops neutralised 192 terrorists and arrested 341 persons, while rescuing 62 kidnapped hostages. A total of 122 ISWAP/JAS combatant terrorist surrendered with their family members. Troops also arrested 37 perpetrators of oil theft. In the SS, troops denied oil theft of the estimated sum of Eight Hundred and Twenty One Million Two Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty Naira (N821,248,740.00) only.
“Furthermore, troops recovered 211 assorted weapons and 6,288 assorted ammunition. The breakdown as follows: 128 AK47 rifles, 26 dane guns among other items. Others are: 1,301 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 3,260 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,325 live cartridges, 140 round of 9mm ammo among other items.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 99 dugout pits, 36 storage tanks and 192 cooking ovens. During the process the troops recovered 349,970 litres of stolen crude oil, 112,135 litres of illegally refined AGO, 7,560 litres of DPK and 13,000 litres of PMS.
“The military recognises that there is still a challenging and tough war campaign still ahead . Overall, our objective is to defeat the terrorist and their cohorts by denying them the ability to continue to fight.
“The lifeline of these terrorist groups is the people. Winning the war without the support of the people is close to impossible. It is for this reason, we encourage the civil populace and civil societies to galvanise support in a whole of society approach to facilitate the total defeat of these terrorist. The time is now for citizens to know that they have a responsible to the nation.
“For instance, a cursory look at our security situation shows that it is unique, in the sense of being self inflicted. Beginning with the Boko Haram Terrorist in the NE. The illegal mining and kidnapping enterprise in the NW and NC, these are perpetrated under the guise of terrorism. The agitation of IPOB in the SE have proven to be for self aggrandizement. Then, the call for a Yoruba Nation which is laughable. All these buttress how our security situation is self-inflicted in the country,” he added.
