The Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, on Monday reiterated that the main objective of the military and coalition efforts concerning the abducted Chibok secondary schoolgirls by terrorist group, Boko Haram, was to rescue the girls alive and save from the clutches of the abductors.
Olukolade therefore appealed to media practitioners and the public at large to exercise restraint in the way they speculate and analyse the position of the girls.
Speaking at the regular briefing by the National Information Centre, located inside the headquarters of National Orientation Agency in Abuja, Olukolade, who led other members of the group, insisted: “The essence of every ongoing activity by the military and other paramilitary agencies concerning the Chibok girls is to get our girls back safely and the three things paramount include public interest, safety of the girls and the wider interest of winning the war on terror.”
He also confirmed that “a key” suspect has been arrested in connection with the car bombing, which occurred in Mubi, Adamawa State on Sunday night but was not categorical about the particular target of the attack.
The military spokesperson said the suspect was apprehended with the help of community members who saw him alight from the car used for the attack shortly before it exploded.
In addition, five other suspected terrorists died in Mubi during an exchange of gunshots with troops who wanted to apprehend them during a cordon and search operation.
Olukolade said many others were arrested and have been helping security personnel in their investigations.
And as the World Cup starts in a few days from now, Olukolade appealed to members of the public who would be watching the matches at public viewing centres to be extra vigilant and report suspicious individuals to security agents.
The efforts of troops and other security operatives also led to the foiling of several planned attacks on civilian targets in parts of the country in recent times as a result of heightened intelligence gathering.
Giving an update on Sadiq Ogwuche, the co-mastermind of the Nyanya Motor Park bombing, who was said to have been arrested in Sudan, Police spokesman, Frank Mba, said a high ranking Interpol operative left Nigeria since last week for Sudan with all the necessary documents to secure the extradition.
Mba said hopefully, the fugitive would soon be back in the country to face the law.
