By Kazeem Akolawole
The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, has disclosed Nigeria achieved its highest rating in the fight against terrorism in 2022, since 2011 up till 2023 and still counting.
The COAS disclosed this at the opening of the Chief of Army Staff First Quarter Conference 2023 on Monday in Abuja.
According to him: “The efforts in Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) in synergy with the sister services and other security agencies had significantly curtailed terrorism and insurgency that hitherto bedeviled the North East part of the country.”
He said the continuous injection of trained troops and special equipment through Operations Lake Sanity and Desert Sanity to complement efforts by OPHK had been rewarding.
According to him, the insurgents and terrorists no longer have freedom of action adding that it had amongst other benefits resulted in massive surrender by the adversaries.
His words: “These efforts, expectedly have enhanced troops poise and greatly improved the security situation and public confidence in the North East.
“In the past 11 years, from 2011 to date, Nigeria recorded its highest rating against terrorism last year, 2022.
“This is indeed a commendable effort and achievement by all of you, the other sister services, stakeholders and indeed our able predecessors.”
The COAS said the Nigeria Army was channeling more efforts towards consolidating on the successes with a view to completely neutralize the insurgents that fail to surrender.
He said that the outcome of the 2022 COAS Annual Conference in the North/West region of the Country had created the necessary impact that had continued to improve the success of army operations in the region.
Further he said the intensified offensive operations to eliminate bandits and other criminal elements in the regions had also yielded positive results.
According to him,” the Nigeria Army troops deployed for Operations Hadarin Daji and Forest Sanity have projected forces and intensified offensives to clear bandit enclaves.
“These operations have destroyed criminal hideouts, neutralized several bandits and subjected the remaining elements to situations where they are mostly either targeting civilians or on the run.
“We must therefore maintain the tempo and leave no stone unturned to sustain these commendable efforts.
“The peaceful conduct of the last general elections across the country including in spite of the sense of insecurity created by criminal elements in the South East region, was a testament to army’s resolve to ensure security in the nation.
“This, according to him, was made possible through successful conduct of Operation Safe Conduct 2023 across the nation which saw the Nigerian army along with the other services and agencies ensuring successful general elections.’’
He said additional efforts through Joint Task Force Operation UDO KA paid off in the South East and this had resulted in successful elections in the region; though IPOB/ESN and their supporters had threatened that there would be no elections in the zone.
His words: “The elections or no election neither IPOB nor ESN nor any other group of individuals should threaten the integrity of this nation as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Accordingly, elections were therefore held in the South East and successfully too, just like in other parts of the country.
“Generally, our operations and decisive actions against the criminal elements have impacted positively on the security situation in the region, giving confidence to law-abiding citizens in the South East.
“The Nigerian army will continue to perform its constitutional roles in collaboration with the sister services and other security agencies as well as civil authorities in the region.”
