Army refutes abduction of commuters, motorists in Borno
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya, has tasked frontline commanders to master the conduct of wide range military operations against terrorists and bandits in the country.
According to him, troops must master the art of night operations and anti-ambush drills by engaging in effective night operations and anti-ambush drill training.
Yahaya gave the task at the closing ceremony of the Chief of Army Staff Conference held at the weekend in Abuja.
He directed the troops to take the fight to terrorists and bandits’ camps and ensure they are defeated to end over a decade Boko Haram insurgency in North-East.
He, therefore, urged the commanders to develop what he described as “contingency plans for our forces to always retain and sustain the initiatives in all theatres of operation across the country.”
While speaking on violent state actors in 2022, Farouk charged the commanders to plan against the possible increase in the activities of violent state actors.
He said that while troops were conducting their operations, they must also be proactive and aggressive to defeat the adversary in any part of the country.
Besides, he added that troops must ensure their deployment in the theatres of war are held in strength to defeat any attack.
He, therefore, assured Nigerians that next year, there would be visible signs of improved security across the country.
He also warned sponsors of terrorists and bandits to desist from their nefarious activities.
IN another development, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Maj.-Gen, Christopher Musa, has refuted the alleged abduction of several commuters along Mainok/Borgozo road in Kaga Local Council of Borno State.
According to him, the purported kidnappings were made by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on Saturday.
Spokesman of OPHK, Col. Ado Isa, in a statement, yesterday, in Maiduguri, disclosed that there were series of unsubstantiated reports by some social media and newspapers (not The Guardian) on the abduction of commuters in Borno State.
He said the alleged incident was “false and misleading” with the intention to smear the image of the Army on the ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the North-East.
Instead, he said the terrorists in some vehicles emerged through the Dole and Bari villages with the intent to mount snap roadblocks.
He further disclosed that they were to cause “havoc and apprehension” among commuters in the two villages.
He, therefore, urged the public to disregard the reports on the recent abduction of commuters along the Maiduguri/Damaturu road on Saturday.
Source: Guardian.ng
