President Goodluck Jonathan
•10 rocket grenades, others also seized
•52 gunmen killed, 70 more arrested
By Michael Olugbode
A few hours after President Goodluck Jonathan left Maiduguri after his
two-day visit to Borno and Yobe states, the Joint Task Force impounded
three anti-aircraft guns as part of a major haul of arms and ammunition
seized from people suspected to be Boko Haram members.
After the visit, JTF was said to have moved to flush out those it
called insurgents in the state during which it engaged suspected Boko
Haram members in an attack that lasted five hours, from 3 to 8 pm.
According to JTF, apart from the anti-aircraft guns, other weapons,
ammunition, uniforms and other items recovered in the operation against
militants included 10 rocket propelled grenade tubes, three general
purpose machine guns, 17 AK47 rifles, three G3 rifles, a pistol (Lama),
20 RPG bombs, 12 RPG chargers, 1x 36 hand-held grenade, and a teargas
rifle.
Other items recovered were 33 AK 47 magazines, 11 FN magazines, three
G3 magazines, 11,068 assorted ammunitions, two technical vehicles with
mounted anti aircraft stands, a box of weapons cleaning kit, four swords
and two knifes, five walkie-talkies, four VHF hand-held sets, a multi
links router and assorted uniforms and kits.
The raid and attack also led to the death of 52 gunmen including 10
said to be commanders of the Boko Haram sect.
Seventy alleged terrorists were also said to have been arrested. JTF
said it lost two personnel while three others were wounded in the
attack.
The attack, according to residents of the area, was akin to those
witnessed in action-packed movies as grenades, bombs and bullets were
freely used by the two camps.
Confirming the development in a statement Saturday, JTF spokesman, Lt.
Col. Sagir Musa said: "Based on information and intelligence report,
series of operations were conducted by the Joint Task Force Operation
Restore Order in the last ten days in Borno State.
"The latest was the one conducted at Bulabulin, Bayan Quarters and
Jajeri in Maiduguri Metropolis between 3 – 8 pm yesterday Friday, 8
February, 2013. During these operations under the period stated, there
were exchange of fire that led to the death of 52 Boko Haram terrorists
including ten commanders of the sect. 70 terrorists were also arrested.
In the period under review, the JTF lost 2 personnel, 3 were wounded and
no civilian casualty was recorded."
Musa said the success of the siege was as a result of information from
the members of the public particularly those he called JTF's moles in
the Boko Haram’s camp who called to continue to assist the task force
with credible and timely information.
During his visit, President Jonathan had replied the Sultan of Sokoto,
Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who had called for amnesty for Boko Haram
members, with the president saying government would not give amnesty to
ghosts since the sect members are largely faceless.
Jonathan also disagreed with the Borno elders over the continued stay
of JTF in the state.
He said he would only withdraw the soldiers if the elders were willing
to enter into an agreement with the government that they be held
responsible should there be any killing by the Boko Haram sect.
The Borno elders had made the request for the withdrawal of JTF during a
town hall meeting with Jonathan as part of his visit to the state.
And a few hours after the president left Maiduguri, seven loud
explosions shook the city, with the explosions happening within minutes
of each other.
Why Maiduguri Was Calm During President's Visit
Meanwhile, the reasons why Maiduguri was calm throughout the period of
President Jonathan’s visit to the state have emerged.
THISDAY’s checks revealed that as the president visit drew near, every
security apparatus of the nation was virtually moved to the state to
make the visit hitch-free.
Security sources also said the perceived hotbeds of Boko Haram, which
included Budum, Jajeri, Bulabulin, Bayan quarters among others were put
under surveillance to prevent a breach of peace and order.
Security operatives, who blocked anything that could take the shine off
the president's visit, moved to the areas while the movement of
residents of the areas into Maiduguri town was also made difficult, as
they were heavily screened.
Taking a cue from what the people went through during the past visits
of Vice-President Namadi Sambo, the Chief of Defence Staff an
Inspector-General of Police as where they were turned back from major
streets and made to go through untold hardship, the state government
declared Friday work-free.
The people of the town went a step ahead of the state government and
had started vacating the major streets since Thursday morning.
Though the movement of the president during the visit was restricted to
two places – the Shehu of Borno’s palace and Government House – the
only notable people on the streets were stern-looking military and
security men who were quick to turn back anyone who had the audacity to
turn up on the streets.
A resident of the town, who was approached to comment on why there was
calm in the town throughout the president’s visit only for hostilities
to return a few hours after Jonathan left, said such was to be expected
since all security services and men were at alert.
A military source, who did not want his name mentioned, said: "Things
like this should be expected when you have all the service chiefs in a
state accompanying the Chief Security Officer and Commander in Chief of a
country. Every security apparatus have to be drafted to prevent a
breach of security and every officer is on his toes."
This was attested to by Lt. Col. Sagir Musa who said there had been
continuous attack on Boko Haram insurgents in the last ten days and that
the major incident hours after the president's visit was a result of
confrontation between JTF and the militants.
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