Defence Minister Meets Abubakar, Agwai over Insecurity

•Troops rescue 25 hostages from Boko Haram

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, yesterday, visited former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar and former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Martin Luther Agwai (rtd) in Abuja.

This came as the Nigerian Army Headquarters said troops of 144 Battalion, in an effort  to clear remnants of Boko Haram  enclaves in Borno and contiguous states, rescued 25 hostages held captive by the terror group.

A statement by the Ministry of Defence said the visit was part of his wide consultations with past leaders and elder statesmen in the search of a panacea to the nation’s security challenges.

It said the minister’s visit was to seek professional advice from both of them on how to tackle and accomplish the task ahead of him.

Briefing the former leaders, he affirmed that in view of the task and responsibilities ahead of him, it was necessary for him and his minister of state to consult and tap from their wisdom and wealth of experience.

Badaru said he would “not relent in his drive for wider consultations with elders and former Nigerian leaders on how to tackle the current security challenges facing the nation.”

The defence minister commended the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who was also the head of ECOWAS special envoy to Niger Republic for his efforts to restore peace and overcome the current political impasse in that country.

Both leaders commended President Bola Tinubu for appointing Badaru minister of defence, describing him as a great achiever, and wished him a successful tenure.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army, in a statement by its spokesman, Brig-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, said the gallant troops in conjunction with Hybrid Force, extricated 14 hostages in a clearance operation at Gobara village in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State on Saturday,  August 26, 2023. The rescued persons include six women and eight children.

In a similar operation on  Sunday, August 27, 2023,  troops of 82 Task Force Battalion in conjunction with Hybrid Force, raided BHT enclave in Gava Village in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State and rescued 11 civilians. 

It said all rescued victims were presently in troops’ custody undergoing profiling.

In a separate operation also on 27 August 2023, seven  members of a BHT family surrendered to troops of 81 Division Task Force Battalion in Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State.   The family comprised three adults and four children.

In an anti-banditry operation on  August 27, 2023 in Kaduna State,  troops of 2 Battalion, Nigerian Army, acting on actionable information neutralised one criminal and freed four kidnap victims in Kwana Shehu Village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State. 

It said the rescued victims had since been reunited with their families.

The statement enjoined members of the public to support the troops  with credible information to enhance ongoing operations across the country.