Gift Wada
In view of the the Christmas Eve massacre in Plateau State that claimed the lives of 195 persons and left over 34,000 displaced, the
Nigeria Army has vowed to put an end to the recurrent violence in the state and bring perpetrators to book.
Major General Edward Buba, Director Defence Media Operations, stated this on Friday while giving the annual Report of Joint Task Force Operational Activities at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
Buba who frowned at the Plateau massacre said it’s “ high time peace be restored in the state”. He beckoned on citizens corporation in fighting terrorism in the state.
He said, “The killings in plateau has been a reoccurring decimal but it is time to win the peace in plateau. Enough of the talking and we as a force are re-strategizing to make sure our people are protected and secured.”
While giving the overview of the military operations in the geopolitical zones from January to December 2023,, he said the security situation in the North East Zone remains relatively stable with the predominant security challenge being Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State West African Province terrorism.
“Overall, during the course of the year, troops of Operation HADIN KAI neutralized 1,759, recovered 681 assorted weapons and 495,336 assorted ammunition. Troops also rescued 826 hostages among others,” he noted.
According to him, the North-West Zone of the country witnessed threats from armed banditry, terrorists, kidnapping, and illegal levies due to large ungoverned spaces, forest reserves, and hills. He informed that the terrorists took advantage of the porosity of northern border and remoteness of the North-West flashpoints that allowed them to operate.
Buba said, “Overall, during the course of the year, troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI neutralized 1,522, recovered 426 assorted weapons and 6,900 assorted ammunition. Troops also rescued 1,101 hostages among others. While, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE neutralized 977, recovered 198 assorted weapons and 1,666 assorted ammunition. Troops also rescued 571 hostages among others.”
He said troops of Operation WHIRL PUNCH in the North Central Zone neutralized 874, recovered 300 assorted weapons, 1,731 assorted ammunition, and rescued 533 hostages among others.
He explained that the North Central Zone faced several security threats with the most prominent being armed banditry/terrorism characterized by cattle rustling and kidnapping.
The army spokesperson said the South West Geo-political Zone has remained largely calm, however, within the year, the zone witnessed cases of armed robbery, illegal arms trafficking, kidnappings and farmers-herders clashes.
“Troops deployed to address reports of the migration of terrorists from the North East and North West into the South West Zone, particularly to OSUN State. Accordingly, troops sustained operations in the Old Oyo National Park and KAINJI Lake National Park to curb the influx of terrorist from Kogi and Niger States,” he added.
The annual report stated that troops of Operation UDO KA neutralized 464, recovered 684 assorted weapons and 5,825 assorted ammunition. Troops also rescued 518 hostages among others
According to the report, the predominant security threats in the South East Zone remains the nefarious activities of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra Eastern Security Network, which has increased its employment of Improvised Explosive Devices, known as “OGBUNIGWE”.
Buba said the South-South Zone has remained fluid and characterized by cultism, kidnapping, youth restiveness and robbery.
“Notably, oil theft in the region continues to afford criminals the resources to fund their operations whilst constituting huge economic losses to the nation. Relatedly, pipeline vandalism has continued to pose environmental hazards which are affecting the socioeconomic settings of the area,” he added.
The annual report said troops of Operation DELTA SAFE neutralized 874 suspected oil theft, recovered 300 assorted weapons, 1,731 assorted ammunition and rescued 533 hostages among others.