The military has disclosed that the ongoing cordon and
search by troops in Buni Yadi in Yobe State has led to
the discovery of a bomb making factory, where
improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used by terrorists
were being produced.
In a related development, senior military commanders
have described the ‘mercenaries’ in the North-east as
technical advisers providing trainings and instructions
on the use of new armaments recently procured by the
Nigerian military in the war on terror.
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen.
Chris Olukolade in a statement yesterday said that a
large quantity of IEDs including those commonly used
by suicide bombers was recovered from the Yobe
State site.
Olukolade said that the factory, located in a fertilizer
company, had also converted some of the materials
therein for production of all types of IEDs.
He revealed that the troops were still evacuating the
materials which include a large quantity of suicide
bomber vests from the facility to their base.
"It is believed that the heavy calibre bomb used in
blowing up the bridge between Damaturu and Buni
Yadi was produced in the factory", he stated.
According to Olukolade, the terrorists were sacked
from Buni Yadi after a military assault that was
conducted last Saturday.
He noted that the troops advance was delayed by the
series of IEDs planted on the highway leading to Buni
Yadi.
The Defence Spokesman also comfirmed that four
soldiers died from such IEDs in the course of the
operation to clear terrorists from the town.
This discovery, he said, was expected to degrade the
capability of terrorists in the production of explosives,
which they have been using lavishly in the area until
they were dislodged from their stronghold.
In a related development, senior military commanders
have described stories in major international media and
culled by local newspapers reporting that Nigeria is
deploying hundreds of mercenaries against Boko
Haram terrorists as a joke taken too far.
The officers insisted that the foreigners are technical
advisers that are providing trainings and instructions
on the use of new armaments recently procured by the
Nigerian military in the war on terror.
Some top commanders who spoke with PRNigeria
disclosed that it was part of the propaganda to paint
Nigerian military as incompetent to deal with the
insurgency by desperately ascribing recent spate of
successes to ‘others’ rather than the gallant troops’
efforts.
"We are so pissed by the lack of support from the
local press which gleefully reproduces unfounded
reports carried by western press, all in a bit to bring
down the Nigerian military. It is so frustrating that
there is no support of our effort by our local press. I
am at a loss, why? We derive pleasure in reporting
falsehood in a bit to undermine Nigeria military".
The source recalled that only recently, some news
agencies ascribed such successes to Cameroonian,
Nigerien and “battle hardened” Chadian forces but
when it became obvious that the forces of those
countries were mainly fighting along their own border
areas blocking free movement of terrorists, “it became
necessary to look for others” who are helping
Nigerians to fight.
President Goodluck Jonathan was recently quoted in
an interview with Voice of America (VOA) confirming
that Nigeria has some trainers helping to get troops
well acquainted with the recently acquired weaponry.
According to Jonathan, “we now have this technical
people who are trainers and technicians, who are to
train our people on how to use them, and technicians
that help the maintenance, at the same time training
our people how to maintain this equipment,” adding
that two companies were involved in the training.
When contacted on the story that mercenaries are
fighting the battle for Nigeria, Olukolade said, “Sorry, I
don’t have anything about that claim. I just know that
Nigerian military and security forces are putting in all
their resources, training and experience acquired over
the years to address the security challenges.
“Our neighbours operating under the auspices of the
Multinational Joint Task Force are also backing our
efforts from all our borders with them. We also have
some offer of training and intelligence assistance from
foreign countries. Some of these arrangements even
predate the present operations.”
THIS DAY News
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