Surrender When There’s Still Time, Military Warns Terrorists

*Fleeing gunmen killed in Niger

Military authorities at the weekend urged terrorists in the North-east to surrender to troops when there is still time to do so.

The call came as the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, has charged troops to sustain the onslaught against insurgents in order to rid the North-east of terrorists.

This is also coming as the Zamfara State Governor, Mr. Bello Matawalle, has rejected all overtures of peace offered by bandits in the state, insisting that the state government was no longer interested in negotiating with bandits, who had rejected the Olive Branch offered to them earlier by the government.

Also following the sustained onslaught against bandits in Zamfara State, many of them, who fled from the ongoing military operation in the state on several motorcycles were on Friday ambushed and killed in Niger State by men of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Speaking yesterday in a media interview in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, the Theatre Commander of Operations Hadin Kai (OPHK), Maj. Gen. Christopher Musa, urged the Boko Haram members, who are yet to surrender not to allow other recalcitrant members to deceive them.

“Those that surrendered recently are currently undergoing re-orientation under the Nigerian Army and I am calling on those that are yet to surrender, to follow suit.

“We are not going to release them into their various communities until they have gone for re-orientation under the Nigerian Army as well as fully screened,” he said.

He explained that: “So far, we released 500 to Borno State Government in July 2021,″ pointing out that before their release, they were given vocational training to be self-reliant.

Musa further explained that some of them are innocent but were forcefully conscripted into the terror group.

Speaking on the closure of Damboa, Damaturu and Gamboru Ngala roads, he said the roads were being opened.

“We have started re-opening the roads and the new arrangement now is that everyday; our troops will escort the travellers using the road in order to ensure they reach their various destinations safely.“

“We have started re-opening the road which was closed for a very long period of time; people should be patient, we have been witnessing return of peace in Maiduguri”, he said.

He, therefore, called on people of the liberated communities wishing to re-locate to their various communities to seek permission from the state government, adding that the Nigerian Army will provide security for the protection of their lives.

Meanwhile, the Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Amao, has charged personnel of the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) to sustain the onslaught against terrorists and insurgents in the North-east.

He gave the charge while on an operational visit to frontline troops of 105 Composite Group, Maiduguri and 103 Strike Group, Yola.

The visit, which served as morale booster to personnel of the air component, afforded the air force chief the opportunity to interact with them with a view to addressing some of their immediate operational challenges.

A statement issued by the Nigerian Air Force said on arrival in Maiduguri, Amao was briefed by the Air Component Commander, OPHK, Air Commodore Nnamdi Ananaba, who gave a summary of the major achievements recorded by the air component towards degrading the capabilities of insurgents in Borno State, especially in the last 30 days.

The CAS, thereafter, commended the troops for their commitment to the current onslaught against insurgents in the North-east, while urging them to sustain and maintain the momentum.

According to him, “the outcome of our air operations has been very encouraging and positive and we must sustain these efforts to remain on course towards meeting our overall end state of ridding the region of these criminals”

He went on to charge the troops to remain focused and committed towards their operational objective.

“Absolute commitment, discipline and dedication is required at this point in time for us to get the job done”, he said.

Amao also expressed optimism that the security threats confronting the country would soon be a thing of the past as the NAF, in synergy with other sister services is working assiduously to flush out all criminal elements so as to enable all Nigerians go about their daily lives and businesses without fear.

He stated that in view of the centrality of air power in joint operations, the NAF would continue to provide the much-needed air support for the ground forces in all theatres of operation in the country.

While at Yola, Amao expressed appreciation to the personnel for their commitment and dedication to duty and charged them to continue to synergise their efforts with other security agencies within their location.

He told the troops that the entire nation remains grateful for their sacrifice and commitment towards keeping Nigeria safe.