By Emmanuel Obisue
Nigerian Defence Headquarters has informed that the military is among other strategies, deploying non-kinetic approach to solving the nation’s security problems.
This was disclosed on Thursday at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja by Major General Musa Danmadami, Director of Defence Media Operations while briefing journalists.
Paying particular emphasis on activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and the Eastern Security Network, ESN, Danmadami assured that the military is not relenting on its responsibility to secure every parts of the country.
While answering questions from journalists, Major General Jimmy Akpor, Director of Defence Information, expressed worry over the increasing capacity of local fabrication of weapons in Plateau State by terrorists.
To assist the military is curbing this, the General urged citizens to report suspected fabricators to authorities, adding that the military will take an all-society approach in dealing with the issue.
“If you have a blacksmith who fabricates arms locally in your area, you should speak out. It is everybody’s business,” he added.
Earlier, the military hierarchy had informed that a “total of 377 Boko Haram Terrorist/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists and members of their families, comprising of 52 adult males, 126 adult females and 199 children surrendered to troops at different locations within the theatres of operations” with the last few weeks.
The military added that its troops in Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe in Nigeria’s oil-rich Southsouth region, denied oil thieves over N800million.
“Cumulatively, within the weeks in focus troops discovered as destroyed several illegal refining sites, 1,075 cooking ovens, 343 storage tanks, 154 dugout pits and 28 wooden boats. Troops also recovered 2 barge, 7 tankers, 56 cars, 12 pumping machines, 1 outboard engine, 1 speedboat, 1 tug boat, 7 motorcycles and 1 tricycle.
“Additionally, troops equally recovered 854,500 litres of crude oil, 1,055,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil and 2,000 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosine, 1 AK47 rifle while 19 suspected economic saboteurs were also arrested. All recovered items and apprehended suspects have been handed over to the appropriate authority for further action. It is worth mentoring that the sum of Eight Hundred and Ten Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Seven Thousand Four Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand Naira (810,957,475.00) only were denied oil thieves,” Danmadami added.
