TEXT OF PRESS BRIEFING BY MAJOR GENERAL
LEO IRABOR THEATRE COMMANDER OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE ON WEDNESDAY 4TH JANUARY 2017
Ladies
and Gentlemen, I am most delighted to welcome and to wish you a very
Happy Year 2017. It is, no doubt, going to be a good year for us as
individuals and as a Nation. On behalf of troops of Op LAFIYA DOLE, I
wish all of you happiness, success and prosperity all through the year.
The
troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE have continued exploitation and mop-up
operations against fleeing Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) with attendant
successes. This Brief is thus an update as usual.
a. Update on
Operation RESCUE FINALE. The operation in Sambisa Forest and environ is
continuing. Our troops are conducting various exploitation and mop-up
operations against fleeing BHTs who are in complete disarray. In that
regards, some clearance operations were conducted during the period
under review:
On 29 Dec 16 at about 0647hrs, own troops embarked
on clearance operation to Dumur Forest in continuation with Operation
RESCUE FINALE. The troops cleared DUMUR and BULA JULTA villages and
carried out bombardment of ADZUNGE, GOMBOLE, MALABI, SOWOLOWO, IZUWE,
NGWALIMIRI and LATAN villages.
On 31 Dec 16 at about 0945hrs, own
troops conducted clearance operation to AIWA village about 25km from
MAIDUGURI. Troops cleared several villages namely: TAULA, MAJAJA,
MAFAIDE, JAAJA, MASU KURA and AIWA. No contact was made. However, a mini
BHT camp was discovered and destroyed. At AIWA village, villagers were
assembled and thoroughly screened which led to the arrest of a suspect
named Modu Babagana Goni. The locals informed the troops that the
suspect sometimes assists BHT in getting food items. He has been
arrested and currently undergoing investigation.
b. Arrests. Our troops have arrested some suspected BHT/other criminal elements as follows:
On
25 Dec 16 at about 1000hrs, own troops deployed at FOB POTISKUM
apprehended a suspected BHT member Musa Abdullahi at FIKA. The suspect
is in custody undergoing interrogation.
On 30 Dec 16 at about
1520hrs, own troops in conjunction with NSCDC arrested a suspected BHT
suspect Rabiu Ibrahim at BAJOGA in FUNAKAYE LGA of Gombe State. The
suspect fled to GOMBE as a result of the recent attacks on BHT by
troops. During preliminary interrogation, the suspect confessed that he
joined the sect about 4 years ago and took part in the attack of troops
along DAMATURU - MAIDUGURI road. The suspect is in custody for further
interrogation.
On 30 Dec 16 at about 1330hrs, our troops arrested
a confirmed BHT member at GONI KALLA. While the suspect was being moved
from GONI KALLA to DAMATURU, the BHT member attempted to escape by
jumping out of the vehicle. He was therefore shot and killed. His corpse
has been deposited at General Hospital DAMATURU.
On 25 Dec 16 at
about 1330hrs, our troops and DSS personnel trailed 2 suspected high
profile kidnappers (Mohammed Ali and Sani Digaru), for an alleged plan
to carry out an operation in GOMBE and possibly escape to their camp at
Yuga Forest in Bauchi State. The 2 kidnappers were tracked and arrested
by DSS in conjunction with troops at SILAS area along Gombe-Dukku road.
During the operation, one of the suspects (Sani Digaru) attempted to
escape and was shot on the leg and later died in DSS custody. However,
the other suspect Mohammed Ali was taken into DSS custody. Items
recovered from the suspects include the sum of N28,800.00 only, 3 mobile
phones, 2 rings, tobacco, one eye glass, wrist watch and a lighter.
On
2 Jan 17 at about 1920hrs, own troops deployed in NUMAN arrested one
Dahiru Saidu who was on transit from LAFIYA – LAMURDE to JADA in Adamawa
State. He is suspected to be among the BHT members declared wanted in
Serial 164 of Wanted Insurgents Poster circulated in the Theatre. He is
in custody undergoing investigation.
c. Interception of Suspected
BHT Cattle. On 29 Dec 16 at about 1030hrs, own troops deployed at
Cashew Plantation while on patrol around BALE SHUARI intercepted 30
cows. The cows were suspected to have been rustled and separated from
BHT due to current military operations at TASUMGANDU. The BHT abandoned
the cows and fled on approach of our troops to TASUMGANDU.
d.
Ambush Operation. On 30 Dec 16 at about 0630hrs, own troops deployed at
RANN sprung an ambush operation on some fleeing BHT members where a fire
fight ensued. Fifteen BHT members were killed while 4 soldiers were
wounded in action. Some of the items recovered from the BHT include 2
AK47 rifles, 4 FN rifles, an M21 rifle, quantity 110 rounds of 7.62mm
NATO ammunition, 40 pieces of M21 rounds, 4 FN extra magazines and 2
locally made explosives. Also, on 2 Jan 17, at about 0110hrs, some
fleeing BHT members attacked own troops at blocking position in
LOGOMANI. The attack was successfully repelled by the gallant troops
after a firefight. Several BHT members escaped with gunshot wounds as
manifested by several blood stains observed during exploitation during
the day.
e. Return of DAMASAK Residents. The residents of DAMASAK
have started returning to the town following the re-opening of
MAIDUGURI-GUBIO-DAMASAK road on 25 Dec 16. Most of the returnees who
were earlier displaced by BHT attacks on the community are returning
from either MAIDUGURI or Niger Republic where they had taken refuge.
Clearing and sanitation of DAMASAK town has been taking place while
troops in conjunction with CJTF continued to dominate general area of
the town with aggressive patrol and screening of locals coming into
DAMASAK.
f. Person Borne Improvised Explosive Device Explosion.
On 31 Dec 16 at bout 2135hrs, a female suicide bomber detonated her
explosive device strapped on her at Customs Area in Maiduguri. She was
the only casualty. Also, on 1 Jan 17, at about 0930hrs, own troops in
conjunction with CJTF discovered an IED suicide vest that had been
dropped by a suicide bomber around GOMARI low cost area. The Nigeria
Police EOD Team was contacted and they recovered and detonated the IED
vest safely. Again, early this morning at about 0615hrs, 3 female
suicide bombers enroute BANKI DUTSE village were gunned down by own
troops deployed for an ambush operations. The 3 female suicide bombers
were killed in action and no other casualty recorded.
g.
Operation THUNDER. Recall that I hinted earlier that the Cameroonian
troops are conducting operations around Ngoshe. On 27 Dec 16, own troops
linked up with elements of Cameroonian Forces. The Cameroonian
recovered several items from the BHT, which include several weapons of
different calibres and their associated ammunition, a Hilux vehicle and
motorcycles. Others are generators, batteries, gas cylinders, bomb
making materials and building implements. The operation is still
ongoing.
h. Air Operations. The clips of Air ops conducted during the period is as shown.
i. Update on some Surrendered BHT.
Summary
of Arrested BHT Suspects/Rescued Persons. A total of 1,400 civilians
were arrested by our troops during all our operations conducted between
28 Dec 16 – 4 Jan 17.
Ladies and Gentlemen, as we start a New
Year, I urge all to contribute selflessly to building on the peace
process, which we have fought tirelessly to achieve. Please report any
suspicious movement of persons and objects to the military or to the
nearest security agencies. We shall not rest on our oars until we
totally execute the mandate of Op LAFIYA DOLE.
Meanwhile, we in
Op LAFIYA DOLE remain grateful to the Commander-in-Chief for all the
support and encouragement. Equally, the Chief of Defence Staff, the COAS
as well other Service Chiefs are well appreciated for all their
leadership and support. To the Media and other Stakeholders, especially
the Governments and the good people of the North Eastern States of
Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States, I say that your contributions and
support are most valued. Remember, ‘We have won the war. We need to win
the peace’. Thank you and God bless.
Major General LEO IRABOR
Theatre Commander
Operation LAFIYA DOLE
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