Troops deny crude oil thieves N259m worth of oil, nab suspected terrorists’ logistics suppliers using gum Arabic

By JOHN NWOKOCHA, Abuja

The Nigerian Military has said it is prepared to deal with anybody or group of persons planning to engage in activities that will breach peace and order in the country ahead of the May 29 handover and the transition period, adding, “there is no cause for alarming”. The military high authorities spoke through the Director, Defence Media Operation (DMO), Musa Danmadami, a Major-General, on Thursday in Abuja, during the bi-weekly media briefing on the activities of the Nigerian troops in various theatre of operations in the six geo-political zones.

Major-General Danmadami, who was answering a question on reports about threat to security ahead of the May 29 handover, said: “The armed forces are working round the clock to ensure there is peace and order in the country”.

He further allay fears over insecurity and breach of peace saying: “We are ready the hand over. There is no cause for any apprehension”.

Danmadami stressed that the intelligent community is working round the clock to ensure that criminals do not carry out their dastardly acts.

The response is coming against the backdrop of the alarm over insecurity raised by the Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nair El-Rufai on Wednesday. El-Rufai had warned that bandits could take advantage of the transition period to launch bloody attacks in the country.

He, therefore, advised that security operations against bandits should be increased in the remaining days of the current administration and beyond.

Answering another question on a report that soldiers in uniforms connive with armed herdsmen to unleash mayhem in Benue state, Danmadami said, “the Army does not back armed herdsmen”.

He added: “It is totally false to allege that soldiers in uniform connive or are working with herdsmen to kill innocent citizens anywhere in the country”. “It is possible for criminals to wear the army uniform to commit crimes”.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian troops have sustained their aggressive posture and launched offensives against terrorists in the North East, North Central and North West. The troops according to the DMO director have recorded operational successes in the past two weeks, using both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.

Giving details of their achievements Danmadami said, on April 11, troops nabbed three suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists’ logistics suppliers with three bags of gum Arabic at Benishiekh Market in Kaga LGA of Borno state. “The suspects revealed that the gum Arabic was given to them by the terrorists to sell on their behalf and return the proceed”.

In the vein, troops under Operation Delta Safe in the conduct of OCTOPUS GRIP have denied crude oil thieves a total of two hundred and fifty nine million two hundred and fifty four thousand five hundred and sixty five naira (N259,254,565.00) worth of crude oil over the past two weeks, among other successes.

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