Nigerian Military Intensfies Operations In 4 Regions, Lists Successes

Troops intensified operations and recorded successes in four regions against terrorists and criminal groups Nigeria from August 13 to August 20, Thursday, Maj.- Gen. John Enenche, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, said on Thursday.

In a briefing, Enenche listed the combat regions as the Northeast, Northwest, North Central and South-South.

The decade-long conflict with Boko Haram in the Northeast region has led to the killing of over 30,000 people with more than three million others displaced

In the Northwest, the military is battling terrorist and armed criminal groups, while in the North Central region the challenge is on ethnic conflicts and banditry. And the South-South region is ravaged by militancy and oil theft.

For each area of conflict, the military launched special operations to deal with the situation.

Enenche said that in the Northeast, troops of Operation Lafiya Dole during the period and conducted aggressive clearance operations.

He said the Air Task Force conducted comprehensive precision strikes to mark the launching of its subsidiary Operation Hail Storm against the terrorists in the region.

“Several air interdiction operations were conducted at identified Boko Haram Terrorists and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) targets in the Lake Chad and Sambisa Forest areas of Borno State,” Enenche said.

“These attacks were conducted at Tumbuma Baba, one of the Island settlements on the fringes of Lake Chad, on August 16, 2020,” he explained.

Additionally, the logistics facilities at Bukar Meram on the fringes of Lake Chad were also destroyed on August 17, Enenche said, adding that at least 20 terrorists were killed and their structures destroyed

Several Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders were also killed and their dwellings destroyed at Boboshe, a village along the river line on the eastern part of Sambisa Forest, Enenche added.

He said on August 16, troops of Army Super Camp engaged terrorists during clearance operations at Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State.

During the operation, two terrorists were neutralised while one AK-47 rifle and eight rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were recovered, he said.

Similarly, troops in Pulka while on a fighting patrol, encountered and engaged terrorists along Road Pulka-Firgi-Banki Junction in Gwoza Local Government Area, Enenche said.

Two AK-47 rifles, two hand grenades, one motorcycle and improvised explosive devices materials were recovered by the troops, he said.

Also, troops of 144 Battalion on ambush operation encountered and engaged Boko Haram at Wagga Mangoro and Wagga Lawal in Gwoza, the military spokesman said.

In the Northwest, where the military is battling terrorist and criminal groups, Enenche said that troops of Operation Hadarin Daji recorded successes.

“Within the period under review, in a combined special clearance operation, troops of operation SAHEL SANITY destroyed 12 bandit camps at Yobe Baranda in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

“Three bandits were also neutralised in the process while others escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds,” he said.

The spokesman stated that on August 15, troops deployed at forwarding Operating Base in Sabon Birni Local Government Area in Sokoto State smashed a notorious illegal arms smuggling syndicate.

“The three suspects, all Nigerien citizens, were intercepted at Dantudu in Mailailai District of Sabon Birni Local Government Area with six AK-47 rifles, three AK-47 rifle magazines and 2,415 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition concealed in various parts of their vehicle.

Violence in Northwestern states of Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger, Zamfara and Katsina states have displaced over 160,000 people and caused about 41,000 more to flee to Maradi in neighboring Niger Republic.

In the South-South region ravaged by militancy and oil theft, troops of Operation Delta Safe have continued to target crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal oil bunkering.

“Within the period under review, Nigerian Navy ship, Pathfinder, patrol team discovered an illegal refining site at Okorosa Creek. The site had a reservoir laden with an estimated 943.47 barrels of product suspected to be crude oil,” Enenche said.

He said on August 14, another site was discovered at Yalama community in Akokoturo Local government Area in Rivers State. The site, which had two metal reservoirs laden with an estimated 150,000 litres of illegally refined AGO was deactivated.

Similarly, Personnel of Nigerian Navy ship, DELTA, dismantled a reactivated Illegal refining site discovered around Fonkro community in Delta State..

Also, on August 15, at Ikpemu community along Jones Creek in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, the patrol team intercepted and impounded a large wooden boat laden with about 132,000 litres of products suspected to be illegally refined AGO.

In the North-Central zone, troops of operations Safe Haven, Thunder Strike and Whirl Stroke conducted several ambushes, raids and clearance patrols.

On August 13, troops of Operation Safe Haven intercepted and arrested five suspected armed robbers at a checkpoint in Makera.

Troops also apprehended two armed robbers following intelligence report on their activities in Rukkaya village of Mavo district in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.

“Additionally, the Air Component of Operation Thunder Strike neutralised several bandits at their camp in the Kuduru Forest area of Kaduna State on 13 August 2020.

“The feat was achieved through airstrikes carried out on the heels of intelligence reports indicating the convergence of members of an Ansaru terrorist sect-linked bandits group,” he said.

Enenche further said that on August 20 troops of Nigerian Navy ship, Lugard, arrested two suspected bandits in Okpo community of Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State following a tip-off.

Also on August 18, troops of Sector 2 Operation Whirl Stroke acting on intelligence conducted a raid on a hideout linked to wanted Benue militia leader Terwase Akwaza, aka Gana, in Amafu village in Katsina-Ala Local government Area of Benue State, Enenche said.