By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Nigerians have been called upon to support the Armed Forces of Nigeria in it’s quest to deal with the present security challenges.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this on Thursday at the biweekly media briefing.
The DDMO noted that the perpetrators of the insecurity are not ghost, but have families, relations and are from villages and communities in the country.
“Through a whole of society approach, we will suffocate any hope that these groups have of victory through senseless killings and dastardly acts,” he said.
Gen. Buba noted that troops have denied the perpetrators of insecurity their freedom of action after neutralizing 191 terrorists, arrested 184 criminals, 22 suspected oil thefts and also rescued 91 kidnapped and their families.
He added that sime of the perpetrators of these dastardly act have surrendered to troops across theaters of Operation.
He said that the troops also denied oil theft of an estimate sum of N388,469,650.
Buba urged Nigerians not to hide any of them, and not to join forces with terrorists, but to support the military in their efforts to flush criminals out of the society.
“We know these security challenges are fomented just for the self enrichment of the perpetrators.
“Consequently, our message to these individuals and groups, is that, the ilitary laser-focused on pursuing peac and security in the country, by the ursuit of those that threaten the peace of the Country.
“Our mission against terrorist, insurgents and perpetrators of insecurity in the country is not one that should be seen as the exclusive preserve of just the military alone.Experience reveals that, military means alone can not neutralise terrorism and insurgency”.
Buba added that troops recovered 209 assorted weapons and 2,894 assorted ammunition.
The breakdown as follows: 46 AK47 rifles, 8 G3 rifle, one SMG, one PKT gun, 11 locally made rifles, 8 dane gun, 2 locally made revolvers, 9 locally fabricated Ak47 rifles, one locally made SMG, 2 high grade military rifles, 3 locally made IED launchers, 3 locally made pistols, one x 36 hand grenade, IEDs, 5 Ak47 rifles loaded with 113 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 837 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 289 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 275 rounds of 9mm ammo and 43 live cartridges.
He stressed that troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 38 dugout pits, 21 boats, 57 storage tanks, 3 tapping hoses, 4 drum receivers, 89 cooking ovens, 6 pumping machine, 3 outboard engines and 34 illegal refining sites.
Troops recovered 696,250 litres of stolen crude oil, 54,400 litres of illegally refined AGO and 1,200 litres PMS.
