By TOM CHIAHEMEN, Abuja –
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), has categorically dismissed as unfounded, allegations by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigerian (MACBAN), that scores of its innocent members on their way from Makurdi, were killled in an airstrike in Nasarawa State early this year.
Director, Public Relations, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodre Ayodele Famuyiwa, made known the position of the NAF in Abuja on Thursday, just as the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), announced that 64 terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements were neutralized and 175 others arrested by troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies in various operations aimed at in addressing the current security challenges across the country.
The military troops also recovered 41 Ak47 rifles, rescued 34 abducted civilians and destroyed stolen crude oil products in the Niger Delta valued at N82.445million from 1 – 15 June 2023, according to the Director, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Major-General Musa Danmadai.
The two senior military officers spoke during the fortnightly briefing on troops activities and operational successes being recorded in the various operational theaters within the 6 geo-political zones of the country.
There had been lingering reports of concerns from human rights bodies about the allegation by Miyetti Allah that dozens of herders were killed in a community in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State in Januray, on their way from Makurid where they had gone to claim their cows that had been seized by the Benue State Livestock Guard for violatinng the state’s anti-open grazing law.
But speaking to journalists on the matter, Air Commodore Famuyiwa declared that no innocent person was killed in the said operation.
“Let the people who said innocent people were killed provide the evidence and let the press do that analysis and let the truth come out,” he stated.
The Airforce spokesman, who decried the sustained attempts by by some human rights bodies, “to put the military in disrepute,” also blamed the Nigerian press for leveraging on the position of the human rights bodies without necessarily hearing from the Airforce, “and very sadly blowing up the position of the human rights watch without you doing your own discrete investigation and being sure that whatever position that you are taking is correct.”
He explained what actually happened, thus:
“On the 24th of January, and even before then, there had been intelligence (reports) from several reliable sources of the activities of terrorists in that particular area. You are all aware of the nefarious activities of criminal elements in that particular area; you are also aware that there’s an on-going operation, that is the OPERATION WHIRLSTROKE.
“The Intel here from several/different sources and even to the Commander of that Operation and to the air component, was that there was a plan by terrorists within that area to carry out a massive attack and then there was a secondary school in question that the terrorists were bound to kidnap students. To that extent, the Airforce carried out surveillance.
“There was surveillance and the surveillance confirmed terrorists, and I mean terrorists, and how do you know that they are terrorist? They have tactics which they adopt: you see them coming on bikes in triples, converging at a location and after that, they disappear, hiding under the forage and that surveillance continued for almost throughout the day until later in the evening when a truck appeared in that scene. The truck was suspected to have brought logistics to them. That was why approval was given by the appropriate authority that, that truck should be take out and the truck was taken out.
“Now, if anyone is coming around to say innocent people were killed, has the press asked them, where is the photograph of that truck that brought the cattle that they are talking about? The claim is that they came there to come and collect their cattle. . Now, if you say people died, where is the truck? where are the cattle?. Where is the photograph of the deadbodies and if you do your investigation very well, you will discover that if you say people died from a strike, there’s going to be a way the bodies will look. Did the press do that?
“The position of the Airforce is that, terrorist were struck that day and whether it is Miyetti Allah or whatsoever group that thinks there were innocent people, let them provide evidence. If you think the military is going to give you the evidence of that operation for now, you won’t get it because there are some information that cannot be de-classified now. But let’s put the burden on the people: if they came there to collect their cows, where are the cows?. Where is the picture of the truck that was struck? How did those people die? I think the press needs to do better than this.
“And if you look at it, after that particular incident, have you heard of any terrorist activity in that area? Have you heard? So, I think we need to do much better. No innocent person was killed. Let the people who said innocent people were killed provide the evidence and let the press do that analysis and let the truth come out.”
Briefing the media on the operational actitivies in the various geo-political zones, Major-General Danmadami disclosed that within the weeks in review, troops in the North-East zone recovered 14 AK47 rifles, 1 G3 rifle, 6 dane guns, 1 FN rifle, 1 pistol, 2 x 36 hand grenades, 2 locally made grenades, 1 RPG tube, 1 pump action gun, 547 rounds of 7.62mm special, 75 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 46 empty cases of 7.62mm NATO, 15 empty cases of 7.62mm special, 10 empty cases of 12.7mm ammunitions and 1 Improvised Explosive Device detonating fuse. Other items are 27 sacks of grinded corn, 10 bags of corn grains, 6 bags of beans, 5 bags of local rice, gallon of palm oil, 12 sleeping mats, clothings, 37 sachets of seasoning powder, 15 packs of spaghetti, 12 bar soaps, 3 vehicles, 8 chemical sprayer, 2 packs of maggi seasoning, 5 pairs of Boko Haram Terrorist uniforms, 8 cartons of fish, 10 motorcycles, 49 bicycles, 14 arrows, 16 mobile phones, 12 sacks of substances suspected to be cannabis and the sum of N11,046,010.00.
“Troops equally neutralized 20 Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorist, captured 7 suspected terrorists, apprehended 40 suspected terrorists logistics suppliers and 15 notorious criminal gang members. Others arrested, were 4 drug peddlers, 3 kidnappers and 3 Terrorists collaborators. Troops equally rescued 15 kidnapped civilians, while a total of 743 terrorists and members of their families, comprising 42 adult males, 251 adult females and 452 children surrendered to troops at different locations within the theatre of operation,” he added.
According to the DMO Directors, troops in the North Central zone of the country also sustained the aggressive postures towards terrorists, bandits and other social vices, and tghat within the weeks in focus, “troops recovered 7 AK47 rifles, 1 SMG rifle, 2 locally fabricated rifles, 11 dane guns, 4 fabricated revolver guns, 1 G3 rifle, 10 rounds of 7.62mm special, 32 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 13 rounds of 12.7mm ammo, 20 rounds of 9mm ammo, 3 AK47 magazines and 2 daggers. Other items recovered include 4 vehicles, 4 motorcycles, 2 gas cylinders, 4 cutlasses, 5 mobile phones and 114 rustled cattle. Troops also neutralized 4 bandits, arrested 86 suspected criminals and rescued 9 kidnapped civilians.
He said the troops of Operations HADARIN DAJI and other Operations in the North West zone of the country equally sustained their commitment and resilience in the fight against terrorists, banditry and other criminalities in the Joint Area of Operations.
Consequently, the target areas were engaged with rockets with several terrorist neutralized in the air strikes, resulting in the neutralization of 38 bandits, arrest of 10 suspects, recovery of 20 AK47 rifles and rescue of 24 kidnapped civilians.
He further said that the land, maritime and air component of the Joint Task Force Operation DELTA SAFE as well as other operations in the South South zone of the country, sustained the efforts in ensuring a relatively safe and peaceful environment for business activities to strife in the region.
“In sustaining this, troops conducted operational activities at the waterways, bush paths, creeks, cities, towns of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers State, (and) duuring these operations, troops of Operation DELTA SAFE in the conduct of Operation OCTOPUS GRIP and other Operations discovered and destroyed 57 illegal refining sites, 27 wooden boats, 158 storage tanks, 149 ovens and 8 dugout pits.
“Troops also recovered 122,600 litres of crude oil, 89,850 litrers of AGO, 7 vehicles, 18 pumping machines, 1 outboard engine, 1 speedboat, 6 assorted ammunitions, 1 weapon and 1 tricycle. Troops also arrested 16 suspected economic saboteurs.
“It is worthy to mention that a total of Eighty Two Million Four Hundred and Forty Five Thousand One Hundred and Fifty Naira (N82,445,150.00) only were denied the oil thefts during the period in focus,” Major-General Danmadami said.
Giving account of military activities in the South-East zone, Danmadami said the troops of Operation UDO KA sustained their dominance over the activities of the proscribed Indigenous people of Biafra/Eastern Security Network criminals and other social vices in the South Eastern zone of the country.
“Consequently, within the weeks in review troops recovered 4 excavators, 7 tippers trucks, 1 generating set, 6 AGO jerrycans, 2 motorcycles, 2 vehicles, 1 locally made pistol, 1 pump action rifle, 2 cartridges, 6 mobile phones, 1 digital camera, 1 tricycle among other sundry items. Troops also neutralized 2 criminals, arrested 8 suspected criminals and rescued 1 kidnapped civilian,” he said.
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