By Yahaya Umar, Abuja
Defence Headquarters, DHQ, has said that bandit leader Bello Turji did not surrender under a peace agreement facilitated by some Islamic clerics in Zamfara State.
In this vein, Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, who stated this while briefing journalists in Abuja, yesterday said “We are hot on his trail and are not aware of any deal with any cleric”.
It would be recalled that a group of Islamic clerics, led by Sheikh Musa Yusuf ,popularly known as Asadus-Sunnah, recently claimed they had met with Turji and other armed leaders in Fakai forest, Shinkafi Local Government Area, Zamfara State.
Yusuf, had said the talks in last month led to the release of 32 kidnap victims, the surrender of some weapons, and an understanding to allow farmers safer access to their farmlands.
Bandit kingpins reached during the peaced deal are Dan Bakkolo, Black, Kanawa, and Malam Ila among others, according to the cleric.
Turji, operates in Zamfara and Sokoto states, where he has been blamed for deadly attacks on communities.
Kangye, dismissed the peace deal lacking verification and do not represent any official government negotiation.
Besides, the Director of Defence Media Operation made clarifications on the recent Amnesty International reports accusing Nigerian troops of extrajudicial killings in the Southeast, calling the allegations baseless.
He pointed out that “The military is not engaged in any extrajudicial killing in the Southeast of Nigeria. People must understand that not every video or claim online represents the truth”.
Kangye, further said that troops have eliminated several terrorist commanders, rescued 37 kidnapped victims, and apprehended dozens of suspects in nationwide operations between Aug. 7 and Aug. 13.
The director during the bi-weekly news briefing on military activities across all theatres of operation said the operations were carried out under the Joint Task Forces in the North-East, North-West, North-Central, South-East, and South-South, with combined air and ground assaults supported by sister security agencies and hybrid forces.
“Our troops have continued to demonstrate courage, resilience, and determination to dismantle terrorist networks, defeat insurgency and banditry, and suppress all forms of criminality.
“The terrorists’ will-power to fight has been shattered”, he said.
In the North East, Kangye said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai, neutralised several Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders in Limankara, Pulka, Kareto, and other locations in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States.
He said that 16 suspected terrorists were arrested, five hostages rescued, and weapons, vehicles, motorcycles, and improvised explosive devices, IEDs, recovered and safely detonated.
In the North West, Kangye said the troops of Operation Fasan Yamma, killed scores of terrorists, arrested 11 suspects, and rescued 17 kidnapped victims in Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Kaduna States.
According to him, a suspected gunrunner was intercepted in Jama’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, while concealing an AK-47 rifle and ammunition in a sack of animal feed.
In the North Central, he said the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke engaged criminal gangs in Benue, Taraba, Kogi, and the FCT, killing several, arresting 13 suspects, and rescuing nine hostages.
According to him, two notorious arms dealers were arrested in Lokoja, while a large cache of ammunition was recovered from an abandoned extremist camp in Taraba.
In the South South, Kangye said the troops of Operation Delta Safe impounded 24,575 litres of stolen crude oil, 9,140 litres of illegally refined diesel, and 2,605 litres of petrol.
He added that the troops destroyed illegal refining sites, seized boats and storage tanks, and arrested 34 suspects linked to oil theft, cultism, and kidnapping.
In the South-East, he said the troops of Operation UDO KA, nabbed six suspected IPOB/ESN members and a kidnapper in Imo, Anambra, and Ebonyi States, recovering arms, ammunition, and vehicles.
Kangye, then urged Nigerians to appreciate the sacrifices of the troops in the field, adding that the “troops gave their today for a safer country of tomorrow”.
