Troops Capture Boko Haram Commander, Rescue 212 Hostages

Navy warn against increasing maritime security challenges

Paul Obi

Military troops fighting the Boko Haram insurgency in the North east yesterday captured a top commander of the sect and also rescued about 212 hostages.

Director of Army Public Relations, Brig Gen. Sani Usman, said: “Troops of 3 Battalion, 22 Brigade Nigerian Army, Sector 1, Operation Lafiya Dole, in furtherance of the ongoing clearance operations in conjunction with 22 Mobile Strike Team and some Civilian JTF, has on November 28, 2017, achieved a remarkable feat.

“During the operation, they were able to clear Boko Haram terrorists from their hideouts located at Kala, Jawara, Mada, Mika, Gakulba and Kutilax (Sanga), northern fringes of Sambisa forest and fringes of Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno State.”

Usman stated that “at Sanga, the terrorists on sighting the approaching troops from their observation post, they dashed into the adjoining Amchada forest.

“The relentless troops pursued them further and neutralised four Boko Haram terrorists after a serious exchange of gun fire, captured one of the terrorists commanders, the “Ameer” of Chawa, Amman Judee, alive and rescued 212 persons held hostage by the terrorists.

“The captured terrorists leader is undergoing further interrogation while the rescued persons are being documented and the underaged children were administered oral polio vaccines.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Navy yesterday warned that the nation’s maritime territory is rife with increasing and incredible security challenges capable of worsening the nation’s economic prospects.

Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, stated this while decorating 18 Navy Commodores to the rank of Rear Admiral at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja.

He said: “I have no intention of inhibiting you from reveling in your success and relishing your new status. However, I owe you a duty that cannot be delayed, and that is to remind you that promotion comes with greater expectation and responsibilities.

“As you know quite well, the operational environment of the Service that you have now found yourselves among the ranking cadre is rife with incredible security challenges.”

Ibas explained that “these include maritime terrorism, resource theft and sabotage of their supporting infrastructure.

“Other notable threats are piracy and armed robbery, which target maritime trade, and therefore the economy of the nation. The use of unregulated movements at sea for seaborne trafficking in humans, narcotics and arms, and the incidents of smuggling are pervasive and remain issues of grave concern.”

The CNS added that “the perpetrators of these ills have remained relentless in ingeniously devising ways to circumvent the security measures deployed. It needs no profound analysis to connect the inverse effect of their successes with serious injury to the nation’s wellbeing.

“As a littoral state, Nigeria has a high dependence on the maritime environment for her economic survival. Shipping activities, exploitation and exploration of maritime resources as well as use of port facilities, have over the years been responsible for major portion of the revenue that drives the nation’s budget,” Ibas maintained.

One of the promoted officers and Director of Logistics, Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State, Rear Admiral Kamarudeen Lawal, observed that the promotion has entrusted in them new responsibilities in order to put in more dedicated services.

Lawal further assured the CNS of the commitment of the newly promoted Naval officers to continue to work hard for the nation.

Also, Director of Administration, Nigerian Defence College (NDA), Kaduna, Rear Admiral Michael Ebe, explained that the new promotion is a welcome development, and a task for officers to so more in securing the country.