Winning war against terrorists non-negotiable – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters announced on Friday that it has strengthened its intelligence gathering capabilities to ensure that terrorists have nowhere to hide.

The Clingendael Institute has reported that jihad fighters from the Sahel region have crossed into Nigeria through the border with the Benin Republic.

A report released by the organisation on Wednesday reveals that extremists have established a presence in the Kainji Lake National Park, which spans parts of Niger and Kebbi states, while banditry is increasing in areas controlled by the Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin in Benin.

However, in a statement on Friday, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, noted that the military had re-strategised to enable it to smoke out the terrorists wherever they were hiding and kill them.

“The aim is to kill these terrorists and the infrastructure that supports them. Additionally, operational adjustments have been made to prioritise protection for farmers to ensure successful rainy-season farming.

“Troops will continue to employ significant firepower to neutralize terrorists and disrupt their activities across the country. Winning the war against the terrorists is non-negotiable.”

Buba revealed that the troops’ achievements for the week include the killing of 220 terrorists and the rescue of 202 kidnapped victims.

Buba added that the troops captured a cache of weapons from the terrorists.