Insecurity: We Will Not Condone Any Form Of Criminality – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters, (DHQ) says the Nigerian military would sustain the ongoing onslaught against all forms of criminalities in the renewed efforts to end insurgency activities in the country.

Acting Director, Defence Media Operation, Brigadier-General Benard Onyeuko, gave the assurance in Abuja on Thursday while briefing newsmen on the operational efforts of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in various theatres of operation across the country in the last two weeks.

Onyeuko stated that troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies had kept the tempo of restoring normalcy into the troubled parts of the country.

He said the troops have conducted a series of operations ranging from aggressive ground operations to comprehensive air operations and exclusive maritime operations against criminal elements and their enclaves.

He said: ”The gallant troops have within the period under review continue to tackle the security challenges, characterized by killings, maiming and destruction of properties by criminal elements across the Country by conducting series of operations ranging from aggressive ground operations to comprehensive air operations and exclusive maritime operations against criminal elements and their enclaves.

“These operations recorded attendant successes as scores of criminal elements were decimated and neutralized with their hideouts destroyed and large caches of arms and ammunition as well as equipment recovered. In other cases, some kidnapped victims were rescued and rustled cattle recovered; and economic saboteurs arrested.”

He pointed out that considering the operational activities of military troops in the various theatres of operation from June 3-16, this year, “comparatively there is a decrease in the criminal activities within the period under review.”

This, according to him was “as a result of troops’ operational efforts to deny criminals freedom of operation and we remain resolute to take decisive and adequate actions to further abate terrorists and bandits’ activities as well as other vices across the country.”

Onyeuko further explained that during these operations scores of criminal elements were decimated and neutralized with their hideouts destroyed and large caches of arms and ammunition as well as equipment recovered from them.

In other cases, he said some kidnapped victims were rescued and rustled cattle recovered; and economic saboteurs also arrested.