*Arrest sea robbers in N
*Kill several Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists
By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) has commended the cooperation of the general public for the high level of compliance with the Presidential Directive in respect of the lockdown to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
Coordinator of Defence Media Operations (DMO), Defence headquarters, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche disclosed this in Abuja while briefing newsman on the preparedness of the AFN to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The High Command of the Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to thank the general public for their understanding and compliance with the Presidential Directive in respect of the lockdown.
“It is should be understood that the directive is in the best interest of the Nigerian populace, in order to prevent the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
He disclosed that the AFN has created additional three (3) facilities designated to serve as isolation and treatment of covid-19 centers, bringing it to 21 centers across the country.
Gen.Enenche also hinted that about 80 military medical personnel were trained and deployed to manned the facilities.
He listed the three newly established centers as the Nigerian Navy Hospital Warri, the Nigerian Navy Medical Centre Borokiri Port Harcourt and Nigeria Navy Logistics School Medical Centre, Owerrinta.
The Co-ordinator DMO also maintained that, there were adequate medical man power to manned the facilities, explaining in an event of any need, additional ones will be provided to meet with the medical demand.
On the capacity of the established facilities, he said the centers have ranged from 20 to 100 capacity bedding.
Meanwhile, Gen. Enenche has refuted claims that the AFN has compromised in the ongoing fight against counter insurgency bedeviling the Lake Chad Basin region.
He said the AFN has done so much in the fight against insurgency and counter insurgency confronting the nation over the years.
The Coordinator further refuted the allegations by the Chadian President, Idris Deby that the Nigerian military has been slowing down the fight against terrorism hence there were still records of pockets of attack in the region.
He said the top priority of AFN was focused in ending the war rather than claiming to be glorified.
He therefore called on the public to disregard any claims that was not from Multinational Joint Task Force.
“Any issues not coming from the multinational joint task force should be disregarded.
“For his Excellency to come out and say that is not true.
All what I am saying is they are only Playing their own part of the game”. He explained.
On the ongoing operations in various parts of the country, he stated that the Maritime components of the Armed Forces of Nigeria has arrested four sea robbers.
The DMO also said the Maritime environment, Troops of sector 2, Operation DELTA SAFE on Friday 3 April 2020 at about 10:30 pm encountered a notorious gang of Sea Robbers at sea, who have been on the wanted list of our troops.
Adding that after the fire fight, the troops were able to recover one of the bodies of the criminals.
He explained that on 6th of April, three of the Sea Robbers who escaped with gunshot wounds were later arrested in Bilabiri community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State were receiving medical attention.
He noted that Sea Robbers apprehended were undergoing treatment and preliminary investigation, after which they would be handed over to the appropriate authorities.
He said the Multinational Joint Task Force together with other members from the Lake Chad Basin Commission destroyed scores of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) camp at Tumbun Fulani on the fringes of Lake Chad in Northern Borno State.
The DMO said this was achieved through the efforts of the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole and Artillery Batteries of Sector 3 of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
Enenche made it clear that it was the fall out of the recent past aggressive and offensive action of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the North East specifically, Operation Lafiya Dole Theatre and the combined effort of the gallant troops of the Land Component, Maritime Component and Air Component which has resulted to neutralization of scores of Boko Haram and ISWAP Terrorists, leading to the decapitation of their various hideouts in the general area of operation.
He explained that troops of Special Response Area Pulka, 26 Task Force Brigade Garrison, 21 Special Armour Brigade, Civilian Joint Task Force and hunters jointly conducted a clearance operation around Zua general area in Borno State where several terrorists were reported killed.
