The Military has assured residents of the Federal capital territory and it’s environs that it is working with other security agencies to address the spate of kidnapping and criminal activities in the capital territory.
A statement by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Edward Buba said the armed forces is not unaware of the terrible impact of kidnappings on the families of those affected. Indeed, our hearts and thoughts go to their families and loved ones. We also recognizes the fear that these kidnappings creates among the citizenry, following recent events in the FCT.
Explaining that troops don’t have all the answers as at now, General Buba assured citizens that the armed forces is working to address the hurtful situation.
“Additionally, troop are synergizing with other security services and stakeholders to investigate and gather more intelligence on these kidnapping gangs, particularly around the FCT.
The Defence spokesman also noted that troops have prioritized the areas of these kidnappings, increased both ground and air surveillance over the areas and have also deployed Technologies to easily detect the kidnapping gangs in their hideouts and enclaves.
He said troops also increased the tempo operations in order to find, degrade and destroy the terrorist and cohorts wherever they were hiding. In the FCT and environs. Some of the areas cleared by troops so far include Kawu, Gaba, Deidei, Kubwa Hills, and Ushafa in the FCT, Garam, Jibi, and back of Zuma Rock in Niger State, as well as Gidan Dogo and Kuyeri/Kuyeri Hills in Kaduna State. Night patrols have also been intensified in Mpape, Kubwa, Lugbe, Pyakasa, Keti, Gbaupe, Gbaukuchi, and Airport Rd among others.
The statement which also cover other operations of troops across the country indicates that the air component of Operation HADIN KAI, on 10 January 2024, eliminated three top ISWAP terrorists commanders in Borno State.
The three commanders identified as; Abou Maimuna, Abou Zahra and Commander Saleh with their lieutenants in a canoe, were targeted and destroyed by the air strikes.
General Buba added that operations during the week resulted in 43 neutralized terrorists with 76 of them arrested.
Troops also arrested 29 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 27 kidnapped hostages,he said.
Also in the south South, troops denied oil theft of the estimated sum of One Hundred and Thirty One Million One Hundred and One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Naira (N131,101,750.00).
Troops recovered 81 assorted weapons and 2,150 ammunition including one NSVT AA gun, one GPMG, one PKMG, 36 AK47 rifles, one RPG 7 tube, 2 AGL bombs, 4 pump action guns, 4 locally fabricated guns, 8 dane guns, 3 short guns, one cut-to-short dane gun, 2 berretta pistols, one damaged AK47 rifle, 2 RPG chargers, wooden stock of AK47 rifles, LMG magazine, 8 bandoliers and 42 magazines.
Others are: 272 belted rounds of 7.62 x 51mm, 268 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 557 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm special, 1000 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 3 rounds of 12.7 x 108mm, 6 rounds of 9mm ammo, one AA ammo, 74 live cartridges, empty cases of 7.62mm special ammo, 2 vehicles, 25 motorcycles, 21 mobile phones, 6 baofeng radios and the sum of N1,266,920.00 amongst other items.
In the Niger Delta, Troops discovered and destroyed 7 dugout pits, 13 boats, 23 storage tanks, 2 barges, 4 vehicles. Other items recovered incl 15 cooking ovens, 2 pump machines and 16 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 139,045 litres of stolen crude oil, 25,115 litres of illegally refined AGO and 5,200 litres of DPK.
General Buba assured that the military is mindful of the threat by kidnapping gangs and terrorist across the country and will continue to review it’s internal processes in order to deal with these threats both now and in the long term.
The military is determined to give the situation the seriousness it deserves so as to create a safer environment for citizens,he further assured.
