Nigerian troops kill 39 terrorists, arrest 157 others as Shettima reveals cause of banditry

Vice President Kashim Shettima has acknowledged that poor governance is to blame for Nigeria’s high rate of banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes, particularly in the northwest.

The Coalition of Northern States’ Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CONSCCIMA) was hosted by Shettima on Wednesday, August 30, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to the vice president, “re-engineering and re-strategizing” northern affairs is required to propel the area towards “accelerated” development.

He expressed support for the idea that northern stakeholders return to the drawing board, reevaluate the situation there, and create strong platforms for re-engineering our society.

He said; “It is imperative for the north to embark on the re-strategising and re-engineering of the region to reposition it for accelerated development.

“Most of the issues highlighted by the president of CONSCCIMA are very poignant as these are issues that touch the lives and wellbeing of our people.

“There can never be development without peace, and there can never be peace without development.

“Especially in the north-west through the Pulaku initiative. The Pulaku initiative is a robust solution towards addressing the challenges in the northwest.

“It is a solution aimed at addressing the challenges of banditry, kidnapping and the situation in the northwest, which cannot be divorced from the issue of governance. Poor governance has a direct bearing on what we are harvesting in the north-west.”

At a biweekly news briefing on military operations across the nation on Thursday in Abuja, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, Director, Defence Media Operations, stated that troops of the armed forces had killed 39 terrorists, detained 159 others, and freed 109 hostages in various operations over the previous two weeks.

He said that in the Northeast’s Gwoza and Tarmuwa Local Government Areas of Borno and Yobe, respectively, Operation Hadin Kai forces ambushed and detained Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters.

He said that the offensive resulted in the elimination of several terrorists, their surrender in the Borno region’s Gwoza, the release of hostages, and the seizure of weapons and ammunition.

He continued by saying that during a different operation, troops captured 45 people, neutralized 11 terrorists, freed 34 hostages, and found a sizable cache of weapons and ammunition.

He claimed that soldiers found six AK47 weapons, a HK21, a GPMG, a fake gun, 11 AK47 magazines, and 34 rounds of special 7.62mm ammunition.

In addition, they found seven empty 7.62mm special cartridge cases, one bandolier, five motorcycles, eight mobile phones, and a N368, 950.

In Borno, at Wulde, terrorist enclaves were discovered and attacked, according to Mr. Buba, who said that the operation’s air component’s progress was being watched.

He claimed that during the time, Operation Safe Haven troops in the North Central region neutralized two gunmen, freed three hostages, and detained 15 criminal suspects.

He continued by saying that in Kaduna State’s Jema’a Local Government Area, the army detained two individuals, one of them was a prominent armed robber on a security agency’s wanted list.

He claims that troops in the state found three AK-47 weapons, one fake AK-47 rifle, one fake handgun, one Dane gun, and 41 rounds of special 7.62mm ammunition.

In addition to deactivating terrorists and rescuing hostages, Operation Whirl Stroke the North Central also resulted in the arrest of a member of a prominent violent extremist group in Benue’s Ukum Local Government Area.

Mr. Buba claimed that troops neutralized two terrorists, captured 11 suspects, freed six hostages, retrieved one FN rifle, and five NATO 7.62mm ammunition.

According to the defense official, Operation Hadarin Daji forces in the Northwest killed 12 terrorists, detained 33 others, freed 40 hostages, and seized three AK-47 rifles, 18 motorcycles, and three cell phones.

The aviation component of the military operations performed an interdiction of terrorists at Sububu Forest in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State and reduced terrorists there, according to Mr. Buba, who also spoke to reporters.