By Sumaila Ogbaje
A civil society group, Nigeria Reawakening Initiative (NRI), has described the elevation of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa to a Four-Star General as well deserved.
The group in a statement by the Convener, Bashir Bello, on Tuesday in Abuja, said the decoration was also a call to duty.
Bello expressed confidence in the ability of the defence chief to leave up to the task ahead, saying his leadership concept unveiled recently gave hope that security challenges facing the country would soon be a thing of the past.
He said that synergy, which was one of the concepts was already playing a big role in the successes been recorded across the various theatres of operation.
According to the group, the various services have keyed into the leadership concept of the CDS, hence criminals across the country are having it rough.
He said that several terrorists loyal to the notorious terrorists’ kingpin, Alhaji Nashama, were recently eliminated by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji.
According to him, similar airstrikes were also conducted on terrorists’ enclaves at Hanawanka and Palele, a village on the borders of Shiroro and Munya Local Government Area of Niger State.
Bello said the recent air strikes conducted by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai on terrorists’ hideout in Bama Local Government Area of Borno were notable.
In the North West, he said the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji also neutralised no fewer than 16 terrorists in the enclaves believed to belong to terrorist Kingpin Dankarami in recent operations.
According to him, just recently, troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion of the Nigerian Army in 6 Division, in conjunction with other security agencies uncovered and invaded a major illegal oil refining site at Owahwa community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta.
The group said the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe also conducted air interdiction missions at Degema and Krakrama in Rivers where active illegal refining sites were engaged with rockets, damaging some equipment.
He said the troops also destroyed 42 illegal refining sites, 36 wooden boats, 68 storage tanks, 77 ovens, 19 dugout pits, four speedboats and five outboard engines.
According to the group, troops recovered 498,650 litres of crude oil, 168,145 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, and 4,400 litres of dual purpose kerosene during the operations.
“Troops are also making sure there is peace in the South-East. Troops of Operation UDOKA raided camps/hideouts of suspected Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network gunmen at Oroma, Umuemu and Umuewelum villages in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State.
“Similarly, troops raided gunmen hideouts in Mmiata Anam Forest in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State. And, Garki and 9th Mile in Enugu East and Udi Local Government Areas of Enugu State.
“All these and several others not mentioned coming just a few weeks after assumption of office by the CDS and the service chiefs is an indication that they are up to the task ahead of them.
“We, therefore, urge Nigerians to give the Armed Forces of Nigeria maximum support to tackle the security challenges,” the group added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Isaac Aregbesola
