Emergency Rule: DHQ team tours operation areas

As a follow up to scheduled assessment visits to troops in the North East of the country, a nine-member Defence Headquarters Operational Assessment Team has returned from Yobe and Borno States.
According to the Director of Defence Information, Brig Gen Chris Olukolade, the team has also briefed the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Saad Ibrahim on the situation in the operational area of the Special Forces operating in the North East.
The force which has been tasked in support of the implementation of the State of Emergency is conducting operations to stop terrorism and to restore normalcy to the security situation in North Eastern part of the country.
The team also visited troops’ location in various parts of Borno and Yobe States. Interacting with the troops inside Sambisa forest, the team leader, and Director of Operations in the Defence Headquarters conveyed the greetings and commendation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), whom he said was very proud of the troops.
He said the CDS was satisfied with the high level of successes so far recorded in the operation and thanked them for a job well-done, urging them not to rest on their oars until the entire region was fully sanitized and cleared of all terrorists activities. The team also assured the troops of regular logistic supplies while the mission lasts.
Briefing the team earlier, the Commanding Officer narrated the conduct of the operation to rid the forest of the insurgents who had made the location their sanctuary. He said some notorious leaders of the terrorists have been captured while some materials recovered in the camp have also provided useful intelligence for subsequent operations.
The team was shown the various weapons including rockets, and locally fabricated weapon accessories captured in the forest. Other items include a large number of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) making materials among others. Other items such as laptops, Mobile Communication equipment (GSM phones), used for shooting and posting online videos, locally made rockets and rocket launchers were among several items seized by the JTF from the arrested terrorists and displayed for the team to see.
Also, seized vehicles of different brands were shown to the team. Several vehicles destroyed by the terrorists as well as their tailoring equipment apparently used for producing fake uniforms were also shown to the team.
The Commanding Officer also said that the unit also incurred some casualty in men and equipment. According to him, the troops are currently engaged in night and day patrols of the area to dominate the forest and apprehend any terrorist who may be lurking around.