Emmanuel Onani 
…says security agencies placed on alert
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has alerted on plans by suspected terrorists to attack critical infrastructure across the country.
Consequently, relevant security and law enforcement agencies have been notified of the plots, in a bid to forestall the same.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba, made this disclosure on Thursday while providing updates on ongoing kinetic and non-kinetic actions by troops across five theatres,
“We are aware of some of the plans to target some critical infrastructure in the country.
“Accordingly, we have placed measures to forestall such plans. Security agencies responsible for securing critical infrastructure and facilities have also been placed on alert. Accordingly, some of such plans have been frustrated”, the spokesperson said.
He expressed worries that terrorists will not stop waging their bloodletting campaign against citizens and the State until they are stopped.
To this end, the Military has restated its call for citizens’ support, insisting that security is now a whole-of-society approach.
His words: ‘Troops are confronted by a vicious enemy that is constantly trying to kill citizens or have killed citizens. Indeed, these terror groups are responsible for perpetrating insecurity across the country and will not stop doing what they are doing until they are stopped.
“In this fight, citizens must understand that, we must never compromise on security, otherwise everyone’s security will be compromised.
“This is a situation that cannot be over-emphasized for us to live in safety and security.
“Meanwhile, the military is doing what is needed at this time. We force the terrorist to pay a price for every act of aggression against citizens of this country. We recognise and have included this as part of our strategy to win the war.
“Overall, we have no choice but to fight for the safety and security of our citizens. We also fight to safeguard our nation and preserve our way of life as a people.
“For us as a force, Defence is the essence of what we do as an armed forces. Accordingly, we would defeat the terrorists on the battlefield and help our nation flourish again.”
On operational successes recorded in the last two weeks, Buba stated thus: ‘During the week under review, troops neutralised 187 and arrested 183 persons. Troops also arrested 26 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 109 kidnapped hostages.
“In the SS, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of One Billion One Hundred and Twenty-Seven Million Two Hundred and Twenty-Nine Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety Naira (N1,127,229,890.00) only.
“Furthermore, troops recovered 128 assorted weapons and 3,300 assorted ammunition. The breakdown is as follows: one PKT gun, 80 AK47 rifles, 15 locally fabricated guns, 15 Dane guns, 2 FN rifles, 5 pump action guns, 2 single barrel guns, 4 locally fabricated pistols, one fabricated barretta pistol, one locally made double barrel gun, 2 hand grenades, 2 primed IEDs and materials”.
