In its determination to eliminate terrorism and smoke out Boko Haram
members from their hide outs in parts of the North East and North West,
the Federal Government has ordered 40 attack and transport helicopters
from the United States of America and Russia.
In a related
development, the military has arrested a man suspected to be connected
to the twin explosions in Kaduna on Wednesday, which allegedly targeted
the leader of All Progressives Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd)
and a cleric, Sheik Bauchi
Reliable sources in the Presidency
revealed that some of the attack helicopters ordered would arrive in the
country as early as next month while the remaining “will be received
certainly before the end of the year to boost the Nigerian Air Force.”
The
source added: “The arrival of the weaponry before the end of the year
will be a game changer as it will help to ensure successful execution of
the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations, especially
against the Boko Haram terrorists.
"Some military and other
security forces are currently frustrated about their inability to storm
the notorious Sambisa Forest where Boko Haram militants are keeping the
abducted Chibok secondary school girls and also serving as operational
headquarters of the group.
“The reason, according to the
findings, is that security operatives are not only aware of the
locations of the girls but are also closely monitoring the way that the
girls are being moved around but are afraid of the backlash should any
harm befall the girls in the course of a forced rescue.”
Also
confirming the planned purchase, a top security source who pleaded for
anonymity noted: "Past incidences during attempts to rescue British and
Italian nationals in Sokoto and SETRACO workers which boomerang are the
reasons that the security forces have been reluctant in storming the
forest and rescuing the girls.
“I wish we could have a consensus
of opinion from Nigerians that we should storm the forest and rescue the
girls. The day Nigerians decide on that with one voice, to clear the
forest will take less than one week".
Already, security forces have
succeeded in ridding Zamfara, Kaduna, Jigawa and part of Bauchi states
of Fulani cattle rustlers. These have been completely eliminated.”
The
source stated further that although terrorism like any asymmetric wars
have proven to be difficult to combat anywhere in the world, “the
Nigerian security forces would have found it easier to deal with it, had
there not been politicisation of the issue.”
THISDAY had
exclusively reported two weeks ago that the Federal Government amongst
other weaponry, had purchased two highly sophisticated Helicopter
Gunships, which are due to arrive the country next month.
According
to a source within the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA), these
choppers also include night vision technology to enable soldiers
monitor and take out the terrorists who move mainly at night to carry
out their dastardly acts.
The source added: "In fact, we now have
the latest aircraft for surveillance and intelligence gathering. More
of these weapons are on their way but these (helicopters) are for urgent
purposes. I can assure you that more equipment are coming; serious
ones."
In a related development, a military source confirmed
THISDAY’s report that a special unit of counter-terrorism forces had
just been trained under an international agreement and are ready to be
fully deployed to volatile areas of terrorism activities
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