Military authorities have scaled up activities around Abuja and Kaduna forests following the marching order given by President Muhammadu Buhari last month to Security Chiefs to end the persistent insecurity challenges facing the country, particularly in the North.
It could be recalled that the President gave the marching order in an emergency Security Council meeting held in the presidential villa following the killings of seven military officers in the nation’s capital, and also when the abductors of the Abuja /Kaduna train passengers threatened to kill all the hostages under captivity if their demands were not met.
Also, the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai raised the alarm that Ansaru is having a ‘parallel government’ in the state and called on the Federal Government to act fast before the situation goes out of hand.
The Director of the Defence media operations, in Defence Headquarters, Major General, Bernard Onyeuko has revealed that about 30 terrorists were neutralized at their enclave in the nation’s capital just in July.
He said, “Within the recent operation carried out between the 23rd and 28th of July, we wish to assure residents of Abuja in particular that we are undaunted and unrelenting in our efforts to ensure the safety of the residents.
Similarly, in a statement issued by the Nigeria Airforce last week Wednesday by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore, Edward Gabkwet, stated that dozens of terrorists were eliminated in Kaduna forests following sustained air operations.
“One of such strikes which occurred on the August 9th resulted in the elimination of a well-known terrorist leader operating in Kaduna State.
” Indeed following receipt of intelligence on the same day that a well-known insurgents kingpin, Alh Shanono had scheduled a meeting with his foot soldiers at Ukambo, a village about 131 km from Kaduna.
Thus, the statement revealed that the insurgents were sighted and after ensuring the absence of civilian settlements, they were neutralized. It further stated that feedback from the locals had indicated that 30 rifles and 20 motorbikes were destroyed including the terrorist kingpin, Shanono.
The Kaduna State commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan on Saturday said scores of terrorists were neutralized in Galbi village of Chikun local government area of the state. According to him, the security operatives have received an intelligence report about the movement of the terrorists around Galbi.
Thus, the combined efforts of troops and the Nigeria Airforce engaged the hoodlums and as a result killed many of them.