Defence Minister applauds military as scores of B/Haram terrorists surrender

The Minister of Defence, Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) has expressed satisfaction with the gallant performance of the Military in the onslaught against criminal elements in the six geo-political zones of the country.

Gen. Magashi stated this at the Joint World Press Conference held at the Radio House Abuja where his counterparts in the Ministries of Police Affairs, Interior and Information and Culture also rendered accounts of their Stewardships in tackling myriads of insecurity in the country.

The Defence Minister said the Troops of the Operation Hardin Kai in the North East has gallantly denied ISWAP and the Boko Haram Terrorists freedom of co-ordinated attacks as they continued to suffer huge casualties , depletion and depression.

Maj. Gen. Bashir whose briefing covered Military Operations across the six geo- polical zones said the Ctiminal elements have been substantially degraded and defeated in the last four weeks in Compliance with the Directive of the Commander-in- Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said in the period under review sixty-six Terrorists were neutralised, alongside the ISWAP commander, Madu Chaka Bem Bem and twenty others while fifty- five were arrested and fifty-two Civilians regained their freedom from captivity.

Gen. Magashi also put it on records that the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara in the North West zone have also given a good account of themselves by clearing the doubts of the bandits and kidnappers.

While assuring President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians of the total commitment of the Military to the defence of the nation’s territorial integrity alongside other security forces he outlined similar Operational successes recorded in the North Central, South East, South South and South West and thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the strong backings that the Armed Forces of Nigeria continued to enjoy even in the current participation in Peace Support Operation in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.

On his part the Minister of Police Affairs Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi said the Police Force has repositioned, re-equiped and is resolute to effectively change the narratives in all the States of the Federation towards keeping the country safe and secured.

Dingiyadi buttressed the successes recorded in various parts of the country including Borno state with 248 weapons recovered 181 arrested in Delta State and 40 suspects arrested in Niger State among several others in the last four weeks.

The Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in his own account warned criminal elements to keep off the Correctional Centers across the country or they will not survive to tell the story of any dastard acts.

He advised Nigerians not to obstruct the operation of the Federal Fire Service in responding to the outbreak of fire emergencies.

While acknowledging the support by the Military and sister agencies in joint operational environment the interior minister assure Nigerians that never again shall Jail – break be repeated adding that arsonists and vandals and other criminals will pay with their lives.

In the samevein the convener of the first in the series of World Press Briefings at the National Press Centre, the Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed said while the country may not be there yet, the Military has succeeded and still succeeding in crushing the criminal elements in accordance with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to the Security Forces.

The Information and Culture Minister said what could have overwhelmed and consumed other nations of the World is what Nigeria is going through in terms of huge security challenges and yet the country remains standing and resolute to end terrorism, banditry and other forms of Crimes.

He appealed to Nigerins that security is the business of everyone and thanked the Media for carrying out their watchdog role in nation building and national defence.