DHQ Promises Violence-free Off-cycle Edo Poll

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has vowed to ensure violence-free off cycle election scheduled to hold on Saturday 21 September 2024 in Edo State.

Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba who gave the assurance in a statement on Friday, said troops killed 159 terrorists, arrested 174 and rescued 188 hostages in one week.

Maj.-Gen. Buba said, “Troops are strategically deployed to ensure that the off-cycle govenorship election scheduled for 21 Sep 24 in Edo State is violence-free, fair and credible.

“Troops’ role is to support the police to ensure voters safety and security. Accordingly, troops presence is to thwart the activities of those elements bent on formenting crisis during the elections.”

General Buba said troops also arrested 45 suspected oil thieves and recovered stolen products worth N736,971,450.00 in the week.

The military spokesperson added that troops recovered 151 assorted weapons and 12,401 assorted ammunition.

He gave the breakdown of the recovered weapons to include three PKT guns, one SLR, 92 AK47 rifles, 25 fabricated rifles, 15 dane guns, 4 pump action guns, four locally made pistols, one pistol, two RPG tubes, one RPG bomb, 66 AK47 magazines, one FN magazine and two locally fabricated hand grenades.

Others include 10,346 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,094 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 92 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 479 rounds of PKT ammo, 182 rounds of MG ammo, 43 rounds of 9.5mm ammo, 12 rounds of 9mm ammo, 35 live cartridges, 35 empty cases of 7.62mm ammo, two baofeng radios, 15 vehicles, 39 motorcycles, 28 mobile phones and the sum of N5,386,200.00, amongst other items.

Meanwhile in the Niger Delta, troops discovered and destroyed 71 illegal refining sites, nine dugout pits, 35 boats, four speedboats, 32 drums and 57 storage tanks.

Other items recovered include 20 cooking ovens, one pumping machines, 14 vehicles, one motorcycles, one tricycle and 10 mobile phones.

Troops also recovered 788,400 litres of stolen crude oil, 28,995 litres of illegally refined AGO, 300 litres of DPK and 3,000 litres of PMS.

The director reiterated that military operations against terrorists and violent extremists was aimed at providing security and stability for the nation and the citizens.

“Troops will therefore continue to be relentless in pursuit of ending all forms of insecurity across the country,” he added.