We Are Working To Address Kidnapping – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters says troops are working relentlessly to address kidnapping and other vices across the country within the past week.

Director of defence media operations Maj. Gen. Edward Buba who gave the assurance in a statement yesterday said troops had killed 43 terrorists, arrested 76 and rescued 27 hostages.

He said they also arrested 29 suspected oil thieves and recovered stolen products worth over N131million in the week under review.
On kidnapping, he said troops had prioritised vulnerable areas and increased both ground and air surveillance over them.

“While troops probably don’t have all the answers as at now, citizens should be rest assured that the armed forces is working relentlessly to address the hurtful situation.

“Technologies have also been deployed to more easily detect these kidnapping gangs in their hideouts and enclaves,” he said.

He said troops had also increased the tempo of operations in order to find, degrade and destroy the terrorist and cohorts wherever they were hiding.

He said; “In the FCT and environs, some of the areas cleared by troops so far include Kawu, Gaba, Deidei, Kubwa Hills, and Ushafa in the FCT, Garam, Jibi, and back of Zuma Rock in Niger State, as well as Gidan Dogo and Kuyeri/Kuyeri Hills in Kaduna State.

There have also been intensified night patrols in the Mpape, Kubwa, Lugbe, Pyakasa, Keti, Gbaupe, Gbaukuchi, and Airport Rd among others”.

In the North East, he said the air component of Operation HADIN KAI, eliminated three top ISWAP terrorists commanders in Borno State on January 10.
He identified the three commanders as Abou Maimuna, Abou Zahra and Commander Saleh, adding that they with their lieutenants in a canoe, were targeted and destroyed by the air strikes.