DHQ to Terrorists: Others Will Raise Your Sons, Daughters

*Says three officers, 22 soldiers, two pilots, others killed in Niger ambush
*Warns military will deploy overwhelming force on criminals
*28 terrorists decimated, 92 arrested, rescues 82 kidnap victims

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Angry and determined, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), yesterday, promised the terrorists daring the will of the country’s armed forces that others would raise their sons and daughters, if they had any.
DHQ listed three officers, 22 soldiers, and two pilots and crew members as those killed, while seven persons were wounded in action during an ambush, which resulted in a fire-fight with insurgents in Shiroro, Niger State.
At a media briefing in Abuja, Director, Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj Gen Edward Buba, said following the confrontation, an Air Force plane was deployed to evacuate 17 dead and seven wounded-in-action soldiers to Kaduna.
Affirming that in the process of the evacuation operation, the plane crashed, Buba debunked reports that the plane was shot down, stating that investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the crash.
Buba disclosed that 28 terrorists were decimated during the encounter.
He warned, “No group will strike own troops without injurious consequences. Troops will use superior force to eliminate enemies of state.
“Troops will bring overwhelming military force on any group undermining the peace of the nation. It is stating the obvious that the Armed Forces possess the power and the will to hunt down those who wish to bring harm to our citizens.
“The ongoing operation is a direct message to those who question the resolve of the military. It is also a message to members of the violent extremist groups that think that they can hide.
“They can rest assured that others will raise their sons and daughters, that is if they have sons and daughters.
“I wish to, on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, express my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of officers and men, who were killed in an ambush by terrorists and the fire-fight that ensued. Three officers, 22 soldiers, two pilots and crew members died, while seven were wounded in action.“Casualty evacuation followed, while the operation was on return to Kaduna, the plane carrying 17 previously killed crashed. Seven wounded in action, two pilots and two crew members were killed.”
In his remarks at the briefing, spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said the cause of the crash was yet to be ascertained.
“At the moment, we don’t know what caused that aircraft to come down,” Gabkwet explained. He condemned unsubstantiated posts on social media regarding the tragedy.

Speaking on other ongoing operations across the country, Buba stated that the troops in the past two weeks of operations neutralised 28 terrorists, arrested 92 of them, six gunrunners, three kidnappers, six collaborators, and seven perpetrators of oil theft. He said 82 kidnapped hostages were rescued and oil thieves and petroleum products valued at N876, 451,800.00 were seized by troops, who also recovered 108 weapons and 564 ammunition.
On Niger Delta operations, Buba disclosed that troops in the area discovered and destroyed 36 dugout pits, 62 wooden boats, 73 storage tanks, one vehicle and 75 cooking ovens. He said four pumping machines, five outboard engines, and 33 illegal refining sites were discovered.