Nigeria’s Military Defence Headquarters today said it had intensified a new approach aimed at containing the Boko Haram insurgency, but it gave no details except to solicit information of the public.
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Nigeria’s Military Defence Headquarters today said it had intensified a new approach aimed at containing the Boko Haram insurgency, but it gave no details except to solicit information of the public.
In a statement on the security situation in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, which are under emergency rule, the army described the upswing in the attacks by the militants as typical of the intention of the terrorists to intimidate the people into subscribing to their false claim to invincibility.
“This distressing situation notwithstanding, it must be pointed out that the current activities of the terrorist groups is actually at best a reaction to the renewed offensive against the terror outfit whose operatives had infiltrated the country to support their hitherto depleted membership and counterparts in their daring acts to reinvent relevance by embarking on renewed attacks on soft targets,” it said.
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The statement further said the army’s “specialized campaign” which is being undertaken simultaneously in the three states is in furtherance of efforts at apprehending the terrorists and ensuring they do not escape out of Nigeria as they are desperate to do.
“Unfortunately, however, they have in the course of their flight towards various borders, continued to perpetrate mayhem as noticed in some parts of Adamawa state yesterday night where they attacked communities,” the statement said. “In desperation for money and food, they looted and burnt banks, shops and filling stations along their way through Michika as they headed for Cameroon border. Six of their fighters were killed two captured while nine of their vehicles were destroyed; one soldier and three civilians also died in the encounter.”
The statement speculated that the militants involved in the latest attacks are the elements that perpetrated the mayhem against students of Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State and other places.
“They have been holed up and are still engaged in suicidal fighting apparently with a view to attaining martyrdom status, as troops close in on the die-hard ones among them.”
It called on citizens in the states, particularly those living near the borders, to assist the security forces by reporting any movement of the group if noticed in their locality as that would enhance the operations of the military, as well as assist in apprehending or eliminating the militants.
“All things being equal, the activities of this murderous group will be further degraded towards total elimination shortly,” the statement said, urging the citizens to show understanding of the situation and continue to cooperate with the security forces especially with information on the movements of these terrorists.
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