No group will strike own troops, citizens without injurious consequences —DHQ

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The Nigerian Military yesterday warned that no armed group will strike its troops or citizens without injurious consequences.

Speaking on Thursday while giving update on the Military operations in the country, Major General Edward Buba, Director Defence Media Operations, said any attack on troops will be heavily dealt with.

He said recent ambush on troops in Niger will not go unpunished.

“Troops will continue to respond with overwhelming military force against any group that threatens the safety of citizens and own forces. The men and women of the armed forces will continue to put themselves in harms ways, time and time again, to protect our great nation.

The armed forces possess the power and the will to hunt down those that wish to bring harm upon our citizens. The ongoing operations is a message to those that question the resolve of the military. It is also a message to members of these violent extremist groups that think they can hide. They can be rest assured that others shall raise their sons and daughters, as no one will strike at the military without injurious consequences.”

While urging members of the public to always report any suspicious movements to security operatives, Buba said the military will always ensure protection of lives and property of citizens.

He urged Nigerians to always support the military in its determination to rid the country of criminals elements.

Speaking further, he said during the week leading to 17 August 2023, the military neutralized 28 terrorists, arrested 92 terrorists, 6 gunrunners, 3 kidnappers, 6 collaborators, 7 perpetrators of oil theft. Troops also rescued 82 kidnapped hostages and denied oil theft the sum of Eight Hundred and Seventy-Six Million Four Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand Eight Hundred Naira (N876,451,800.00) only.

“Overall, troops recovered 108 weapons and 564 ammunition. The breakdown as follows: 22 AK47 rifles, one PKT gun, 6 pump action guns, 4 dane guns, one fabricated rifle, one galil ace rifle, one RGP bomb, one RPG tube, 44 hand grenades, 322 rounds of 7.62mm special, 63 rounds of 12.7mm ammo, 12 rounds of 5.6mm ammo, 33 AK47 magazines, one empty case of 7.62mm special and 3 empty magazines. Other items include; 14 motorcycles, 16 mobile phones, 3 motorolla radio, one boafeng radio, 2 motorcycle tyres, 5 touch lights, 2 solar panels, 104 livestock and the sum of Two Million Eight Hundred and Ninety-Six Thousand Four Hundred Naira (N2,896,400.00).

“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 36 dugout pits, 62 wooden boats, 73 storage tanks, one vehicle and 75 cooking ovens. Others include; 4 pumping machine, 5 outboard engine and 33 illegal refining sites. Furthermore, troops recovered 1,166,900 litres of stolen crude oil, 1,491,250 litres of illegally refined AGO, 54,750 litres of DPK and 800 litres of PMS.”