. . . COAS charges soldiers to intensify offensive against bandits

Scores of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) terrorists and their families have surrendered to the Nigerian troops during OPERATION HADIN KAI, in Bama, Borno state, Tuesday.

The terrorists also surrendered assortment of weapons and incendiaries including: 8 AK 47 rifles, 1General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 2 Fabrique Nationale (FN) Rifles, 1 Dane Gun, 1Makarov Pistol, 89 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, 89 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, 66 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 5 x 9mm rounds of ammunition, 2 Hand Grenades, 27 AK 47 Rifle magazines and 2 FN Rifle magazines.

Other fire arms recovered from the terrorists are 1 pistol magazine, 1 x 60mm Mortar Bomb, 10 x14.5mm empty cases, 2 primed suicide vests, 72 trigger switches, 10 primed Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), 5 Electric Detonating Chords, 6 packs of Water Gel Explosives, 6 Mobile Phones, 1 Camel Pack, 1 Cammoulage bag, 2 Hard drives, 1 Plier, 2 Unserviceable Hand held Radios, 2 Scissors, and needles, 2 Match boxes and the sum of Fifty Five Thousand Naira (N55,000:00) only.

The ISWAP and Boko Haram elements and their families who have been hiding around the fringes of the Sambisa forests surrendered along with their family members which comprise 19 male fighters, 19 adult females and 49 children from Njimia village and environs.

Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General, Onyema Nwachukwu, said the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has commended the troops for the sustained offensive and clearance operations conducted in the theatre and charged them to maintain the momentum of the operations.

Speaking in the same vein, COAS charged troops of 8 Division and Operation HADARIN DAJI (OPHD) to intensify their operations against bandits marauding in parts of North West, Nigeria. Faruk gave the charge Wednesday in Gusau, the Zamfara state capital, while addressing troops during his operational tour of 8 Division and its formations and units.

Commending the troops for their operational exploits in curtailing the activities of the criminals, he urged them to promote synergy among the military and other security agencies, describing it, as a strategy that will speed up the end of banditry in the region.

The COAS urged the officers and soldiers to be proactive and resilient in order to crush the bandits and expedite the restoration of normalcy to the affected states.

He assured the troops that their welfare is uppermost in the agenda of his command. COAS admonished them to ensure they conduct their operations in compliance with extant operational codes of conduct and regulations.

He added, that troops must always show respect for the fundamental human rights of law abiding citizens in the conduct of their operations.

Meanwhile, in his brief to the COAS, the General Officer Commanding 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Usman Yusuf informed that troops’ anti banditry operations have been reinvigorated to expeditiously bring about peace and stability in the region.

COAS also paid a courtesy call on the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Dr Bello Muhammad, where discussions were held on the security situation of the state and the North West in general.

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