Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said yesterday that three soldiers were killed while eight insurgents were decimated during a confrontation with insurgents in Kukawa town in Borno State.
It said two wounded soldiers were receiving medical attention at a military medical facility in the state even as many terrorists escaped with gunshot wound.
The military high command was however silent on the reported abduction of 100 people in the area by the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, the Coordinator of the Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Major General John Enenche, said troops thwarted Tuesday’s attack on troop locations in Kukawa.
“During the incident, eight Boko Haram terrorists were neutralised and unconfirmed number escaped with gun shots wounds. “Unfortunately, three soldiers were fatally wounded and later gave up the ghost at the military medical reception station at kukawa military location”, he said.
Enenche said two wounded soldiers were receiving treatment at a military medical facility.
He recalled that on July 29, 2020, the Executive Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, flagged off the re-opening of Munguno-Cross Kauwa-Kukawa Road, which was followed almost immediately with the resettlement of some of the displaced people from Kukawa and life was already picking up in the town.
He said the attack by the terrorists was a deliberate attempt to reverse the milestone achievements recorded regarding IDPs in the areas of peace-building, reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement efforts by the government.
Enenche affirmed that the situation in Kukawa was calm with troops in full control.
“The Nigerian Armed Forces wishes to assure the general public that there is no going back in its struggle to see to the rebuilding and resettlement efforts for the displaced people.
“The futile attempt by the terrorists to thwart it only spurred the gallant troops for more decisive action”, he said.
He urged the people of Kukawa to go about their normal lawful businesses without any hindrance and enjoined them to always avail the troops and other security agencies of credible information about the terrorists and any suspicious persons accordingly.
Reviewing military operations in the past one week in the Niger Delta region, the Coordinator of DDMO said
within the period under review, Nigerian Navy Ship, Pathfinder patrol team discovered an illegal refining site at Okorosa Creek.
He said the site had a reservoir laden with an estimated 943.47 barrels of product suspected to be crude oil. The site was later deactivated.
Similarly, on August 14, 2020, another site was discovered at Yalama community in Akokoturo LGA Rivers State. The site, which had two metal reservoirs laden with an estimated 150,000 litres of illegally refined diesel was deactivated.
A total of 400,000 litres of AGO were recovered within the period under review.
“The military high command commends all the gallant troops of the Armed Forces and personnel of other security agencies involved in various operations across the country for their steadfastness, doggedness and commitment.
“They are equally encouraged to remain resolute and decisive in curtailing the activities of all criminal elements in the country. Members of the general public are hereby reassured that the Nigerian Military will continue to tackle the security challenges to ensure that normalcy is attained in all the geo political zones of the country”, Enenche
said.
