The Defence Headquarters has reported more progress in the ongoing campaign against terrorism and the Boko Haram sect in particular. The military was on offensive with air operations in Borno State over the weekend, a venture that has yielded the expected result, according to a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade on Sunday, March 2, 2014.
The air operations were directed at clearing terrorists bases sited in Daggu and Yazza areas of Borno State. The mopping up operation by ground forces after air assault has confirmed the death of several terrorists located in the bases. Civilians had earlier been evacuated from the vicinity of the identified terrorist enclaves in line with operation orders before the air and land assaults. Extensive cordon and search of the entire locality is ongoing with a view to apprehending the wounded and other members of the terrorists group who might still be trying to flee.
Also recorded on Saturday, March 1, 2014, troops in pursuit of those who carried out attack in Buni Yadi last week, had a fierce encounter with the terrorists around Mainok and other locations between Apa and Abulum in Borno State. The air and land operations that ensued recorded the death of some terrorists. Soldiers also died in the encounters.
Meanwhile, the DHQ has apprehended and arrested suspects who are believed to have been responsible for detonating the bomb that exploded at Bintu Sugar Ngamari area of Maiduguri yesterday, killing many citizens and wounding several others. The suspects are currently helping in the ongoing investigation on the incident. Patrols are continuing on land and air in the entire mission area in North East towards apprehending or eliminating the rampaging terrorists in the area.
Meanwhile the campaign coordination cell has in its report, dismissed as untrue the reports claiming that civilians were mistakenly killed in the air operations in some parts of the mission area, as the claim could not be confirmed after the mopping up aspect of the operation. The reports are believed to be part of the design by those bent on discrediting the counter terrorists mission.
The Defence Headquarters has reaffirmed its directive that necessary care should continue to always be taken to ensure safety of innocent Nigerians in the operational areas notwithstanding the fierceness of the encounters.
