Military rescues 60 victims, arrests 44 suspects

n n

FILE IMAGE

n

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) have rescued more than 60 kidnapped victims and arrested 44 suspects during operations nationwide.

n

The Director, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed this on Saturday while briefing defence correspondents on operations carried out between Sept. 18 and 24.

n

Onoja said the operations were conducted against terrorism, kidnapping, arms trafficking, oil theft and other security threats across the country.

n

Given a breakdown of the operations, he said that a Nigerian Air Force jet disrupted the movement of terrorists conveying a large number of kidnapped victims around Bazama, Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi.

n

According to him, the manoeuvres forced the terrorists to abandon their captives, enabling more than 60 kidnapped victims to escape.

n

He also said that ground troops rescued several victims in separate operations across Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

n

According to him, those rescued include 17 victims along the Isa-Kwanar Isa axis in Sokoto and seven university students along the Daye-Malumfashi road in Katsina.

n

“Troops also rescued five victims, including the Executive Chairman of the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara, from terrorist captivity at Sekpore village in Kaura Namoda.”

n

Onoja added that in the Northeast, troops intercepted 44 terrorist family members, comprising 13 women and 31 children, at Konduga in the Bama Local Government Area of Borno.

n

He said that the victims had escaped from terrorist camps amid clashes between rival terrorist factions.

n

The defence spokesman further said that more than 20 terrorist fighters and family members also surrendered to troops in the Gwoza, Dikwa and Ngala Local Government Areas of Borno.

n

According to him, the surrendering terrorists cited hardship and lack of basic necessities in terrorist enclaves on the Mandara Mountains as reasons for abandoning the groups.

n

He also said that troops arrested suspected terrorist informants, collaborators and logistics suppliers during the period under review.

n

“Toops arrested a suspected terrorist collaborator and a spy at Geidam market in Yobe, as well as a suspected kidnapper at Gubio, Borno.

n

“The suspected kidnapper led troops to Ardimini village, where they recovered an AK-47 rifle and a magazine containing 12 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition,” he said.

n

Onoja said that in the same vein in the Northwest, troops arrested four suspected members of a terrorist group conveying rustled cattle near Illela, Sokoto.

n

He also said that troops arrested three suspects in Faskari, Katsina, who were allegedly conveying N2.7 million intended for a notorious terrorist kingpin.

n

In Kaduna, he said troops engaged terrorists around the Abuja-Kaduna rail line and recovered a rifle and ammunition, while another suspect was arrested at Awon community with a locally fabricated pistol and seven rounds of 9mm ammunition.

n

In the North-Central, the defence spokesman said that troops of Operation Whirl Stroke arrested several suspects involved in kidnapping and arms trafficking across Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa and Taraba.

n

He said troops arrested two suspected kidnappers along the Otukpo-Makurdi road in Benue and recovered a rifle and ammunition.

n

“The troops also arrested a suspected gunrunner at Kwande, Benue, who had earlier been convicted for the same offence.

n

“In Bauchi, troops and Forest Guards ambushed suspected kidnappers at Kudu Yamma, Ningi Local Government Area, neutralising three while others fled with suspected gunshot wounds,” he said.

n

Onoja disclosed that the troops recovered a rifle and ammunition and rescued six kidnap victims during the operation.

n

He added that troops of Operation Enduring Peace also arrested 11 suspects during raids on suspected kidnapping syndicate hideouts in Shere, Gwafan and Maza Hills in Plateau.

n

According to him, four of the suspects were identified by victims as members of the syndicate allegedly responsible for their abduction.

n

In the South-South, Onoja said troops of Operation Delta Safe uncovered about 182,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil at Bethel Creeks in Rivers.

n

He said troops also discovered eight dugout pits, five containing suspected stolen crude oil, alongside hoses allegedly used for illegal crude movement.

n

The operation, he said, followed an earlier discovery of about 87,000 litres of suspected stolen crude at illegal refining sites around Aworkiri, Rivers, on Sept. 8.

n

In the South-East, the director said troops of Operation Udo Ka encountered suspected secessionist terrorists at Obibi Forest in the Orsu Local Government Area of Imo.

n

He said the fleeing terrorists abandoned a general-purpose machine gun, a rifle, ammunition, motorcycle and other items.

n

According to him, troops also arrested a suspected informant and rescued a woman who had allegedly been kidnapped about two months earlier from her hairdressing salon in Orsu.

n

Onoja quoted the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, as commending the troops for their gallantry and sacrifices in sustaining operations across the country.

n

Oluyede also commended the support of other security agencies, local security groups, traditional rulers and community leaders in strengthening the nation’s security architecture.

n

The CDS further urged members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies to support ongoing operations. (NAN)

n n