Those Military Offensives in Borno State
By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi
The collective Armed Forces of Nigeria in collaboration with other security and intelligence agencies including Police and the Department of State Service (DSS) have continued to match their words with action, by living up to their mandates of protecting the territory against external forces, while at the other hand ensuring the safety of lives and properties of peoples from the threats pose by the non-state actors.
Sequel to that, the troops were unrelenting in their aggressiveness towards decimating the criminals terrorizing the country especially the northwestern region that has been ravaged by bandits and kidnappers, while at the same time dealing decisively with the remnants of Boko Haram fighters and ISWAP insurgents that continued to rake havoc in northeastern states of Yobe, Adamawa and Borno for over a decade.
The renewed military offensive in these conflict zones has undoubtedly continued to yield successes on a daily basis. A handful of insurgents’ commanders have been neutralized along with their members, while their hideouts are equally ransacked and destroyed. This has inarguably keep on weakening the entire terrorist cells.
I believe that everybody will agree with me and attest to these victories by the troops, as yet another scintillating story hits the media space, in which another high ranking ISWAP commander was sent to the land of no return by the Nigerian Army.
Reports indicated that in the last week of January, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Super Tucano aircraft under Operation Hadin Kai have eliminated several ISWAP Commanders and terrorists including the foreign mercenaries at Kirta Wulgo axis of Borno state.
PRNigeria has authoritatively gathered that ISWAP Senior Commander, Mallam Ari, in charge of Kirta Wulgo and foreign mercenaries fabricating Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) for the terrorists were killed during the superior and multiple airstrikes by the aircraft.
A senior intelligence officer revealed that the airstrikes were authorized after intelligence uncovered over 40 terrorists converging at the fringes of Northeast Kirta Wulgo, close to a point where a suspected ISWAP flag was hoisted.
“Some were also seen with weapons around a nearby make-shift structure, which was a likely indication that the structure might have had a high caliber terrorist target.
“After the airstrikes, some of the surviving terrorists were observed making frantic efforts to put out the fire that ensued while others took to their heels.
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“Indeed, the make-shift structures were significantly burnt and destroyed at the fringes.
“Several ISWAP fighters were neutralized in the air strikes including one Mallam Ari who was identified as the ‘Fiya of Kirta Wulgo’,” the intelligence officer said.
Remember that, ‘Fiya’ is a title held by the second in the hierarchy of the terrorists’ military structure.
In another development, it was also learnt that on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, troops of 401 Special Forces Brigade in conjunction with 19 Brigade Baga have subsequently laid a siege on another terrorists’ enclave.
The troops were said to be on offensive clearance operations between cross Kauwa and Gudumbali in Borno State were they neutralised terrorists and equally destroyed the purported ISWAP Caliphate.
Still, in the early hours of Wednesday of January 26, 2022, troops of 25 Task Force Brigade Damboa, Borno State, destroyed and burnt identified BokoHaram/ISWAP Night Market at Gumsuri. These twin operations have done a great damage to the terrorists’ camp.
Recall that, not long ago, the ISWAP terrorists were forced to reshuffle their cabinet as a result of sustained military superior power due to several onslaught leading to wasting of their top senior commanders. Interestingly, the troops are still maintaining the status quo while at the same time evolving new strategies towards surmounting the security challenges.
Subject to that, the Nigerian Army under special task force; Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) has recently trained youths on armed combat and intelligence gathering, as part of military efforts in tackling insecurity in southern parts of Kaduna state. Thus, it is obvious that synergy among community members and respective security agencies especially in areas of intelligence and information gathering as well as subsequent sharing can never be downplayed in the context of fighting against criminalities.
Therefore, ever since its existence, the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) has been discharging its function in collaboration with other country’s intelligence agencies, notably the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Service (DSS). It also continues to ensure synergy among the three Armed Forces of Nigeria including the police, especially in areas related to intelligence gathering and sharing.
Thus, in light of these developments of success stories from the battlefields, it is hopeful that within the shortest possible time, all these bloodsucking demons bedeviling our country will soon meet their creator to answer for their crimes.
Mukhtar is a Staff Writer with the Emergency Digest
