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By Frank Oshanugor
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Thursday said troops of Operation HADIN KAI have killed 73 Boko Haram Terrorists and rescued 55 victims in Borno State.
The acting director, Defence Media Operations, Brig-Gen Benard Onyeuko, disclosed this during an update of the military operations across the country between June 18-30, 2021.
He said the operations yielded attendant successes in the various theatres across the country.
He said the troops conducted ambush and clearance operations as well as responded to distress calls, repelled terrorist attacks on troops’ locations and dominated the theatres of operations.
The DHQ spokesman said the Air component of Operation HADIN KAI also conducted series of Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance and air interdiction missions to reveal and destroy terrorists’ enclaves as well as their logistic supplies and equipment.
Gen. Onyeuko added that troops consistently struck BHT/ISWAP strongholds throughout the theatre of operation stressing that during the offensives, several terrorists were killed and many equipment and weapons captured.
“A total of 73 Boko Haram terrorists were killed with 44 AK 47 rifles, 2 PKT, 7 Ant Aircraft guns, 7 gun trucks, several ammunition of different calibre as well as weapon cleaning materials, clothing, blankets, foodstuffs, vehicles, generators, IED materials, religious scripts and other items were recovered in the process.
“A total of 55 escapees from terrorists’ camps comprising 15 adult males, 12 adult females and 27 children surrendered to own troops at Darajemel in Borno State,” he said.
He further said the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, in coordinated multiple airstrikes, destroyed some terrorists’ commander’s strongholds at the Lake Chad axis of Borno State.
Onyeuko said the air strikes were targeted at various terrorists’ camps in Sabon Tumbu, Jibularam and Kwalaram Towns in the State.
“During the air operations, the spiritual base and training camps of the terrorists in the North East part of Borno State and the fringes of Lake Chad were destroyed by air bombardments,” he added.
He said the air offensives were executed following credible intelligence report which revealed that, some top ISWAP/Boko Haram terrorists commanders were holding a meeting at the said locations.
“Consequently, the Air Component mobilised with force packages of NAF platforms and launched attacks on the locations,” he said.
In the war against banditry, he said troops of operation HADARIN DAJI and other security agencies conducting operations in the North-West zone executed series of land and air operations concurrently.
He said the troops following intelligence conducted raid operations on bandits and kidnappers’ hideouts as well as against drug peddlers at Gusau – Magami Road in Gusau LGA of Zamfara State; Makuku in Sakaba LGA of Kebbi State; as well as Batsari and Jibia LGAs in Katsina State. Other locations include Unguwar Kade village in Tsafe LGA and Bingi village in Bungudu LGA of Zamfara State.
He noted that the operations led to the repelling and arrest of kidnappers and drug peddlers who confessed to supplying illicit drugs to miners as well as other criminal elements.
The operations also led to the neutralisation of some armed bandits; peaceful resolution of farmers/herders’ clashes; recovery of arms and ammunition as well as recovery of rustled livestock.
Other successes according him were the rescue of kidnapped victims in various locations including a teacher and some students kidnapped at the Federal Government College in Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State as well as arrest and rescue of some trucks of rustled livestocks in different locations of the theatre.
Gen Onyeuko said the troops also intercepted and arrested some gunrunners and bandits logistics suppliers, including one Lawali Na Habu with trucks loaded with large quantities of AGO at Tangaza LGA of Sokoto State and one Mallam Ibrahim Aliyu, a wanted notorious bandit .
In the North Central, he said troops conducted both kinetic and non-kinetic operations with great success adding that the troops of operations Awatse and Delta recorded commendable successes against criminal entrepreneurs and recovered stolen products, eliminated criminals and recovered weapons.
The DHQ spokesman on behalf of the Military High Command commended the efforts of the troops for keeping up the tempo and urged the general public to support military efforts by providing credible and timely information that will facilitate it proactive engagements
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