They Launched Rockets, But Didn’t Hit Their Target – IGP Reacts To ISWAP Attack On Maiduguri

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba says the terrorists of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) were unable to hit their targets with rockets launched into Borno State because of the efforts of security operatives.

The IGP stated that it is a worrisome development that the terrorists now have the ability to launch rockets but the security operatives will continue to checkmate their moves just as they’ve been doing.

The Police Chief made the submission on Friday while speaking with State House correspondents in Abuja shortly after attending the emergency security meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said: “They are launching it in major towns, they are launching it in Maiduguri. It is a concern. And it has been seriously checkmated. There are efforts to continuously checkmate it.”

“Yes, they have done it, but to a large extent they have not achieved what they intended to achieve because of the situation the security agencies, particularly the military, put in place.”

Naija News recalls the terrorists attacked Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the state on Thursday.

The rocket attack was reported to have hit three communities at Ngomari airport general area in Maiduguri.

The terrorists appeared to have targetted the airport as they struck 10:45 am, a few minutes before the arrival of Buhari.

Reacting further to the incident, IGP Baba said that the security forces have identified and neutralized most of those responsible for the attack, adding that efforts are in place to ensure Nigerians have a peaceful Christmas and new year celebration.

The IGP assured that the security agents won’t rest on their oars until peace is totally restored in the country.

“Yes, it had been done before and even after. Some of those who must have planned and thrown those rockets have been taken out,” he said.

He added that security forces have marching orders “to ensure there is peace, law and order during the yuletide period and beyond”.

“The marching orders are always the same. It has always been the same. There is no space, there is no tolerance to any threat to security,” he said.

“There is no sparing of any terrorists and there must be an intelligence gathering, there must be proactive prevention of crime and there must be checkmating of all those that are involved in criminal activities, whether it be terrorism, banditry or armed robbery or whatever and that is what we are trying to do to the best of our knowledge and ability.”