The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Thursday said military operations are currently ongoing to flush terrorists out of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The military high command also said troops have arrested several criminals and their collaborators in FCT, and they are helping troops with valuable intelligence.
Director Defence Media Operations Major-General Edward Buba stated this while answering questions from journalists on the rising insecurity in some parts of the FCT.
He also said troops deployed to other parts of the country neutralised 86 terrorists and arrested 101 others in the last one week.
Blueprint reports that terrorists have kidnapped several persons in last few weeks in Dei-Dei, Dutse, Garam, and adjoining communities in Bwari Area Council, creating fears among residents.
“About reports of insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory and its environs, as I speak with you, operations are ongoing in those locations.
“We have arrested several of them in the last one week and they are providing intelligence to support our operations,” he said.
He said on January 5, 2024, troops with hybrid forces in separate operations conducted fighting patrols in Bwari Area Council of FCT and Kagarko LGA of Kaduna State respectively.
“During the operations, troops arrested 2 suspected extremists’ informants and recovered one mobile phone.
“On 6 January 2024, troops in conjunction with hybrid forces conducted fighting patrols to Bwari Area Council of FCT Abuja and Rijau LGA of Niger State respectively. During the operations, troops arrested 3 suspected violent extremists sympathizers.
“Following reports, troops in separate operations raided suspected violent extremists’ hideouts in Bwari Area Council of FCT Abuja and Tafa LGA of Niger State respectively. During the operations, troops arrested 10 suspects including one violent extremists’ informant/collaborator and 2 kidnappers. The suspects are providing valuable intelligence which is supporting ongoing operation to make the FCT much safer,” Buba said.
…Oil theft
The defence spokesperson also said troops also arrested 30 perpetrators of oil theft in the Niger Delta and rescued 21 kidnapped hostages in different theatres of operations across the country.
General Buba disclosed that troops denied oil thieves crude estimated at Seven Hundred and Thirty Six Million One Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Four Hundred and Seventy Naira (N736, 115,470.00) only.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 37 dugout pits, 65 boats, 71 storage tanks, 14 vehicles. Other items recovered incl 108 cooking ovens, 4 pump machines, one speedboat and 60 illegal refining sites.
“Troops recovered 1,013,530 litres of stolen crude oil, 299,169 litres of illegally refined AGO and 3,158 litres of DPK,” he said.
Speaking further, he said troops recovered 111 assorted weapons and 1,124 assorted ammunition.
According to him, the breakdown as follows: “65 AK47 rifles, one HK G3 dun, one G3 rifle, 8 locally fabricated guns, 15 dane guns, 2 fabricated rifle, one locally made pistol, one english pistol, one pump action gun, 2 auto pump action gun, 2 single barrel guns.
“Others are: 14 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 993 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 5 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 5 rounds of 7.62mm x 39mm, 99 live cartridges, one round of 9mm ammo, one of short gun cartridge, 2 bandoliers, 2 fabricated swords, 13 magazines, 5 vehicles, 29 motorcycles, 6 bicycles, mobile phones and one GTA radio amongst other items. “
He said the aim of the military operations remains unchanged and clear even in the new year 2024.
“Our aim is to find and destroy the terrorist wherever they maybe hiding in order to ensure their enduring defeat. This would deny the terrorist the ability to terrorize or hurt citizens across country.
“Our operations clearly indicate that we are hunting the terrorist commanders and their seniors leadership. Indeed, from their topmost leadership to the lowest commanders are dead men walking and we will stop at nothing until they are dead or surrender,” he said.
…Monarch, 9 others killed in North-west
Meanwhile, Haruna Abale, the traditional ruler of Kukar Babangida, a community in Jibia local government area of Katsina state, has been killed by terrorists in a Thursday morning attack.
Abale was killed alongside nine other residents including his biological son, Idris Haruna.
Multiple sources from the community said the terrorists’ first point of call was the monarch’s official residence where they killed him, his son and four others.
The terrorists also burnt down some houses, vehicles and shops in the community.
“I believe it was a planned attack to specifically take out the monarch who was known to be outspoken and critical of the terrorists,” a community leader in Kukar Babangida, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said. “His house was the first they (terrorists) went to when they entered the community. Some of the terrorists surrounded the house while the others entered.”
The attack began around 1:00 a.m. and went on for several hours.
One of the monarch’s sons, who also asked not to be named, said his brother Idris and his four friends sleeping in the house were locked in their room by the terrorists before they were eventually shot.
“It was terrible. The terrorists went to my father’s inner room and shot him several times. They then went back to my brother, Idris’ room and killed him alongside four of his friends who slept at the house,” the monarch’s son told Premium Times over the phone.
Premium Times gathered that while some of the terrorists were unleashing mayhem at the monarch’s house, others spread out and began shooting indiscriminately.
“They killed four residents who ran out of their houses due to the intensity of the shootings. So while they were running out of their houses to avoid being caught, the terrorists’ bullets got them,” the community leader, who said a search for dead bodies was still ongoing when this reporter (not Blueprint’s) called.
Jibia local government chairman, Bishir Sabiu, confirmed the killing of the monarch and others to journalists.
The police command in the state, through Abubakar Sadik, its spokesperson, also confirmed the attack.
The police said the armed persons “shot and killed nine persons and burnt down five vehicles.”
“Operatives were swiftly deployed as normalcy was restored. Efforts are on to arrest the perpetrators of the dastardly act. Further development will be communicated in due course,” Sadik told Premium Times in an SMS.
Kukar Babangida village is one of the worst-hit areas in terms of terrorist activities. The road leading to the community links the Katsina metropolis to Marabar Jibia, a border community with Niger Republic.
North-west Nigeria, especially Zamfara and Katsina states, has been facing renewed terrorist attacks since December last year.