Nigerian military speaks on insurgents attacks in Borno, reassures citizens

The Nigerian military has confirmed the series of recent attacks on its bases in Borno State but reassures citizens of its capacity to subdue the terrorists.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents carried out multiple attacks on Monday and Tuesday.

The Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, AE Abubakar, confirmed the incidents at a press briefing in Maiduguri on Tuesday.

While the attacks on Dikwa and Gajiram failed, Mr Abubakar, an army major -general, said troops slugged it out with the insurgents in Rann, the headquarters of Kala Balge Local Government Area.

During the briefing, the theatre commander confirmed attacks on three military bases, and the death of four soldiers in Rann.

“In the last two months, we have been re-strategising and reorganizing. The Chief of Army Staff was here just a week ago, and several changes have been made in the theatre. I am one of such changes, having just taken over command three weeks ago.

“Additional platforms and personnel are being inducted into the theatre. What the terrorists have resorted to doing is carrying out multi-pronged attacks on several isolated and vulnerable deployments and using it as propaganda, which is why we are also reviewing our deployments. Yesterday alone, there were attacks in Rann, Dikwa, and Gajiram. All these attacks were defeated, apart from Rann, where they succeeded in penetrating to an extent, leading to the loss of four personnel,” the theatre commander said.

While assuring the public of the military’s commitment to eradicating terrorism in the region, he explained that the recent incidents are not indicative of a resurgence of the insurgents to their former strength.

Mr Abubakar pointed to the deteriorating security situation in the greater Sahel region as a major factor contributing to the resurfacing of attacks.

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He explained that the ransacking of barracks and the subsequent proliferation of weapons across Nigeria’s porous borders are re-energizing the terrorists’ capabilities.

According to the commander, the military observed a concerning adaptation in the terrorists’ tactics, particularly the introduction of armed drones for attacks since November of last year.

The theatre commander noted the difficulty in detecting these drones using conventional radar technology, drawing a parallel to their use in conflicts like those in Israel and Ukraine.

“Two years ago, we were ready to say that the conflict was over, but the deterioration in the security among Sahel States has also affected us,” he stated.

He emphasized that significant progress has been made in restoring normalcy compared to five to 10 years ago, citing the return of nearly 20,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to Malam Fatori and Kukawa as recent successes. He stated that over 20 terrorists were killed and arms recovered in the past week alone, highlighting ongoing operations across multiple fronts.

In response to these evolving threats, he noted that the military has been undergoing a period of re-strategising and reorganisation over the past two months.

The Chief of Army Staff recently visited the theatre, leading to several changes in operational command, including the assumption of duty by the current theatre commander just three weeks ago. Additional personnel and equipment are being deployed to the region.

The theatre commander explained that the terrorists resorted to multi-pronged attacks on isolated and vulnerable deployments for propaganda purposes.

Despite these challenges, the theatre commander reiterated the military’s firm resolve to achieve a decisive victory against terrorism in the shortest possible time, appealing for the continued support of all Nigerians.

Mr Abubakar urged the remaining terrorists to surrender and benefit from the humane treatment being extended to those who have already laid down their arms, warning of their eventual elimination.

He also highlighted the improved morale of the troops due to recent welfare initiatives implemented by the military leadership.

The theatre commander underscored the complex nature of the conflict and the vast operational area, citing the Timbuktu Triangle, larger than Rivers and Osun states combined, as an example of the challenging terrain.

He emphasised that security is a collective responsibility, echoing the need for citizens to actively assist the military in identifying and apprehending insurgents.

He cited the recent interception of 13,000 liters of petrol destined for terrorist enclaves as an example of the crucial role community vigilance plays in disrupting terrorist activities.

Read the full statement below:

Evening gentlemen of the press, here is what the Theatre Commander has to say regarding the recent spate of attacks, measures by the military and messages to the well – meaning Nigerians.

The terrorists have been degraded. There is little doubt that normalcy has greatly returned to the North East region, compared to where it was 5 to ten years ago. In war, you have several campaigns which are series of coordinated operations aimed at achieving strategic objectives. So you will win some and lose some. What is most important is the statistics of what you win against what you lose. In the last one week alone, over 20 terrorists have been neutralised and arms and ammunition recovered, even as we continue to conduct operations on multiple fronts as we speak. For now, most citizens have returned to their communities and socio economic activities have returned. Malam Fatori and Kukawa are recent success stories where almost 20,000 IDPs have returned to their ancestral homes. However, what is is happening in Nigeria is not unconnected to the situation in the greater Sahel region where Barracks in neighbouring countries are being ransacked and weapons carted away. These weapons find their way down into Nigeria, due to our large and porous borders, thereby reenergising the fight. Two years ago, we were ready to say that the conflict was over, but the deterioration in the security among Sahel States has also affected us. In-spite of this progress, the terrorists have also adapted. This is possible due to the relative ease with which they can access technology. For instance, since November of last year, we noticed the introduction of the use of armed drones to carry out attacks. Like you would find in Israel or Ukraine, these drones are difficult to detect by conventional radar detection.

In the last 2 months, we have been re-strategizing and reorganising. The COAS was here just a week ago and several changes have been made in theatre. I am one of such changes, having just taken over command 3 weeks ago. Additional platforms and personnel are being inducted into the theatre. What the terrorists have resorted to doing is carrying out multi pronged attacks on several isolated and vulnerable deployments, and using it as propaganda which is why we are also reviewing our deployments. Yesterday alone, there were attacks in Rann, Dikwa and Gajiram. All these attacks were defeated apart from Rann where they succeeded in penetrating to an extent, leading to the loss of 4 personnel. However, let me reassure you that the overall resolve of the Nigerian military is that we will completely defeat this terrorism and restore peace to the region once and for all, in the shortest possible time. We just need the support of the nation.

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For the terrorists, I will urge them to tow the path of their colleagues who have surrendered and are being humanely treated, or risk being eliminated in the long run. The military is fully resolved and resourced to bring the battle to a favourable conclusion. Our troops are highly motivated and our resilience is not dampened. Several welfare initiatives have been instituted by the military hierarchy which have boosted the morale of troops. This is the level of seriousness that the government attaches to this conflict and in time we will completely defeat this terrorism.

It is important for the Nigerian populace to understand the nature of the conflict and the space within which we have to operate. For instance, this entire Theatre of Operation is over 150,000 sq km2. That is larger than several countries put together, but let us even take the Timbuktu Triangle, which is one of the epicentres of this conflict. It is over 11,000 sq km2 in size, which is larger than Rivers and Osun States. Internationally, this is larger than Jamaica, Kosovo and the Republic of the Gambia. Therefore, as a military we need to be methodical and have phased operations.

In asymmetric warfare Sun Tsu famously said, you have to separate the water from the fish. Security is therefore a collective responsibility and not just for the men in uniform. Nigerians must continue to assist the military in fishing out the bad elements. Last week 13,000 litres of PMS were intercepted by our personnel, headed for the terrorists’ enclave in the middle of the night. This amount can keep the terrorists operational for the next 1 year. Therefore it is expedient that the entire community joins in assisting the military to fight the terrorists.