Military Raises Red Flag Over Influx of Foreign Terror Fighters Into Nigeria 

Linus Aleke in Abuja 

The Nigerian military has expressed serious concern over the gradual influx of foreign terror fighters into the country from the Sahel region. 

The military also stressed that it is profoundly conscious of its role and responsibility in ending insurgency and terrorism in the nation.

Addressing a press at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja on Thursday, the outgoing Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, revealed that troops are thwarting and eliminating forms of resurgent terror attacks in the North-west and North-east, caused by the influx of foreign fighters from the Sahelian region.

He further disclosed that troops across all operational theatres killed no fewer than 156 terrorists, bandits and criminals, arrested 464, and rescued over 180 kidnapped hostages in one week. 

Buba said that troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 46 illegal refining sites, 48 crude oil cooking ovens, 10 dugout pits, 56 storage tanks and apprehended 29 perpetrators of oil theft.

He said that troops denied oil thieves petroleum products worth over N623 million and recovered 219 weapons, as well as 2,871 ammunition within the period under review.

According to him, “Troops also recovered 705,294 litres of stolen crude oil, 6,865 litres of illegally refined AGO, 1,500 litres of DPK and 800 litres of PMS. 

“Other items recovered include 28 boats, eight pumping machines, six speedboats, three outboard engines, six drums, eight motorcycles, one mobile phone and eight vehicles among others.”

Buba said that though troops might record occasional tactical setbacks which is common place in any theatre of war, military’s strategic objective of breaking the terrorist will to fight remains resolute and unhindered. 

Urging citizens to embrace security as everybody’s business and not that of the military, Buba called on them not compromise on security, otherwise everyone’s security will be compromised.