Nigerian Military Announces Surrender of Over 125,000 Terrorists
The Nigerian military has disclosed that no fewer than 125, 517 terrorists and their families have so far surrendered and laid down their arms.
The Chief of Defence Operations, Maj. Gen Emeka Onumajuru, disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.
On the Borno flooding, Onumajuru also revealed that more than 60,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have been relocated to other areas of relief.
“Our adversaries, about 125,517 terrorists and their families have so far surrendered. Also, those in war work attunement have been successfully moved to Operation Safe Corridor Gombe as part of our non-kinetic lines of operations.
“There has also been the relocation of IDPs, over 60,000 IDPs in conjunction with the Borno State Government, thereby decongesting some of the IDP camps,” he disclosed.
Onumajuru went forward to declare the North East operations of the Army a success.
“Statistics on major roads that have been reopened and markets that have been reopened, also shows that the troops in the northwest have done well and economic activities have increased. The farming planting session was also good.
“We are working towards ensuring that the harvest is also as successful as planting.
“So, Borno in the northeast remains a success,” Onumajuru said.
He noted that the security situation in the region is stable, with only few incidents recorded in the North Central areas.
“Going down to other theatres in the North Central is also stable, less the challenges we’ll have in the Shiroro areas in Niger State and also some other areas within the same state. However, we are tackling the situations as part of the overall challenges we’ll have in the northwest.
“The rest of the North Central is relatively stable. Operations of militia groups in Benue and Nasarawa states have been reduced. Likewise, the speed of kidnapping in these general areas,” he stated.
The army Chief revealed that the army were having the upperhand in its war against oil thieves in the South-South region of the country.
“And our operations in this area were based on key four pillars. First was offensive operations which were conducted to clear all major infractions along key pipelines, particularly the Trans-Niger pipeline and other areas as identified by the NNPC.
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“We’ve also been able to carry out deterrent operations, having cleared those areas, and ensure that oil thieves and militants do not have access to pipeline routes,” Onumajuru noted.
On the Southeast region, he disclosed that the Eastern Security Network (ESN), a fighting arm of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), have been put in check.
“In the Southeast, the situation in the Southeast is also stable. A large number of IPOB and ESN have been neutralized.
“And also, there’s a noticeable containment in their ability to enforce sit-at-home on Mondays. This was a key weapon of IPOB, fully weaponized, and now we are beginning to reduce the ability of sit-at-home to improve socio-economic activities. The effect of IPOB in the region is gradually reducing.
“The crisis in Plateau State has fully stabilised because of the stabilisation operations. Also, militia operations in Benyo and Nasarawa are being reduced through the activities of troops deployed in those areas. In the Southwest, the Southwest has always remained very peaceful,” he ended.
