•Amao charges personnel to sustain onslaught against criminals
•Park service: forest reserves now hideout for terrorists, bandits
Kingsley Nwezeh and Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has released the names of six Nigerian financiers of terrrorist group, Boko Haram.
The terror sponsors named by the UAE are Abdurrahaman Ado Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad, all Nigerians.
The Emirate made the announcement after a federal cabinet meeting in the capital, Abu Dhabi on Monday, a state-run WAM news agency disclosed.
The announcement came as the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao has charged personnel of the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji to sustain the onslaught against terrorists and armed bandits in the North-west.
This is also as the Conservator General, National Park Service (NPS), Dr. Ibrahim Musa Goni, has raised the alarm that forest reserves and national parks had become hideouts for insurgents and armed bandits.
The six terror sponsors were reportedly placed on the Emirate’s watch list.
The decision came about a year after the six Nigerians were indicted for sponsoring Boko Haram.
A Nigerian government official was alleged said to be involved in sponsorship of the dreaded sect that has killed over 100,000 civilians and security forces and inflicted untold economic damage on the country since its campaign began in 2009.
The government official, it was gathered was yet to be publicly identified by the Emirati authorities, amidst claims that there was mounting diplomatic pressure not to publish the name.
At least 47 other foreign nationals and entities were also added to the watch list by the UAE.
Meanwhile, the Chief of the Air Staff has charged personnel of the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji to sustain the onslaught against terrorists and armed bandits in the North-west.
Amao spoke while on operational tour of Air Component under Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD) in Zamfara State.
He said the present onslaught against bandits and their activities had continued to yield the expected outcome hence the need to remain focused disciplined and extra-vigilant until the security situation improves.
“This is not the time for you to be complacent or assume that we have overcome the enemy.
Rather times like this calls for utmost discipline, alertness and extra focus on the task ahead”, he added.
A statement by Nigerian Air Force said NAF Special Forces as well as its air element have continued to be key enablers and deciders in the fight against banditry in the North-west.
“Indeed, in the last two months, several bandits have been neutralised through coordinated efforts between the air component, NAF special forces and other security elements in the theatre of operations.
“The joint operations, which is in its critical moments, has so far seen to the dislodging of key bandits’ leaders and their followers as well as the destruction of their strongholds”, it said.
Meanwhile, the Conservator General, National Park Service (NPS), Dr. Ibrahim Musa Goni, raised the alarm that forest reserves and national parks had become hideouts for insurgents and armed bandits.
Speaking during a courtesy call on the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor in Abuja, he said, “these forest reserves and national parks which are approximately 1,129 square metres have become hideout for bandits and terrorists.”
Goni emphasised the need to sustain the existing synergy by working together to tackle the current security challenges facing the nation.
Responding, Irabor, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal Dahiru Sanda, reiterated the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) in collaborating with the NPS, describing the service as a key agency in the security architecture of the nation.
He maintained that the relevant stakeholders must support the organisation towards ensuring that the forests are well protected against criminalities.
The CDS charged NPS on the need to dominate the nation’s forests in terms of intelligence gathering and sharing of information with the military and other security agencies so as to checkmate every form of terror and other crimes.
