The Nigerian military said security conditions in the South-East have improved significantly, following intensified troop operations and the imprisonment of separatist leaders Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Simon Ekpa.

Major General Michael Onoja stated that crimes and other criminal activities have reduced across the region over the past year as a result of sustained military pressure in the South-Eastern states and recent court rulings against the group’s leadership.

According to him, the jailing of Simon Ekpa by the Government of the Republic of Finland and the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Abuja have dealt a major blow to the operational strength of the group, weakening its ability to coordinate and execute attacks.

“Crimes and other criminal activities have significantly decreased during the year following troops’ intensified operations across the South-Eastern states, as well as the recent court rulings against their leader, Simon Ekpa, who was jailed by the Government of the Republic of Finland, and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.,” Onoja said.

He added that these developments have “substantially degraded the group’s capabilities,” noting that the extremists had previously relied on attacking lightly manned checkpoints and security outposts.

Onoja explained that such attacks often resulted in the killing of security personnel, with weapons seized and later used to carry out further terror activities in the region.

The military maintained that the ongoing operations would be sustained to consolidate on recent gains, protect lives and property, and prevent the regrouping of criminal elements in the South-East. (Vanguard)