NOSA EGHAGHA
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters said on Thursday that troops in the various operational theatres in the dix geo-political zones of the country made huge recoveries of arms and ammunition from insurgents and criminals in the past two weeks.
Director of Defence Media Operations, DMO, Major General Musa Danmadami, disclosed this during the bi-weekly press briefing in Abuja.
He said that in the North-East alone, 510 Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists and members of their families surrendered to troops.
The huge recoveries include: 16 AK47 rifles, 15 dane guns, six QJC 88 AA guns, one QJC 88 barrel, one SMG, two DSHKAA guns, two NSVT AA guns, one GMPG, one pump action gun, two local made double barrel gun, one local made short gun, 51 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, 26 rounds of 12.7 x 108mm, 280 rounds of 7.62mm NATO and 16 refilled rounds of 7.62mm NATO.
Also recovered from the terrorists are: “One round of 9mm ammunition, 74 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 77 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammo, 182 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammunition, 15 empty cases of 7.62mm special, 14 empty cases 155mm ammunition, 46 assorted bullets, four Improvised Explosive Devices, and 48 AK47 rifles magazines.”
Other items include: “One SMG magazine, 33 snipper rifle magazines, four extra GPMG barrels, several UXO to be used for IEDs, 7 x 122mm bombs, 3 x 120mm bombs, 3 x 105mm bombs, 2 x 155mm bombs, 1 x 105mm APF SDS bomb, 2 x 36 hand grenades and 8 metal pressure plate amongst others.”
Major General Danmadami said that troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation HADIN KAI in North East Zone of the country, who made the recovery, also neutralised a total of 40 terrorists, arrested 25 terrorists and eight terrorist’s logistics suppliers during the various encounters,
“Troops also rescued 131 abducted civilians while a total of 510 Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists and members of their families, comprising 54 adult male, 164 adult female and 292 children surrendered to troops at different locations within the theatre of operations.”
He said that all recovered items and apprehended suspects have been handed over to the relevant authority further action while the rescued terrorists escapees and members of the their families were profiled and given medical attention.
The surrendered terrorists and members of their families are also been profile for further action.
Troops Operational activities were conducted in villages, forest, mountains, towns and cities of Gwoza, Bama, Biu, Kukawa, Monguno, Marte, Damboa, Mobbar and Konduga Local Government Areas of Borno State.
Similar military operational activities were also conducted in Michika and Madagali Local Government Areas of Adamawa State as well as Damaturu Local Government Area in Yobe State.
Troops continue to carry out several raids, fighting patrols and ambushes operations in efforts to curb the activities of terrorists and other criminal elements within the Joint Area of Operations.
In same vein, troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN in North Central Zone conducted raid operations in bandits hide out within Nasarawa Egom Local Government Area of Nasarawa State and Iwilli village in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State and had encounters with the terrorists.
According to the military, “following a fire fight, troops neutralised 1 terrorist and arrested 9. Troops exploited the camps and recovered 1 AK47 rifle, 2 locally fabricated rifles, 1 locally made revolver rifle loaded with 7 rounds of 7.62mm special, 1 dane gun, 11 rounds of 7.62mm special, 3 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 1 AK47 rifle butt, 4 rounds 7.62mm special ammunition empty cases, four cartridges, three jack knives, five cutlasses, five motorcycles, two mobile phones and the sum of N1,130,090.00 only.
Troops carry on with fighting patrols into the terrorist camps in Ugba-Gbagir and Guma Local Government Areas of Benue State and neutralised 4 terrorists, arrested 1 and rescued 3 kidnapped civilians.
He said that one AK47 rifle, two AK47 magazines, one locally-fabricated pistol, one fabricated wooden dummy gun, 40 rounds of 7.62mm special, five cutlasses, three mobile phones, two motorcycles and the sum of N14,625.00.
