...Air Chief warns personnel to stick to rules of engagement
The Nigerian Army has stated that terror sponsors and collaborators have stepped up logistics supplies to terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP).
This is coming as fighter jets of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) bombed a terrorist hideout in Bakassi, on the fringes of Lake Chad, killing scores of insurgents.
The air strikes came as the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, warned personnel to stick to the rules of engagement in the fight against insurgency.
The Army said sponsors and collaborators of Boko Haram and ISWAP were stepping up arms, fuel supplies to terrorists thus escalating the war in the North-east.
The charge comes on the heels of recent allegations that Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) were collaborating with the terrorists.
Military sources recently raised concerns that NGOs have shut out visitors to Maiduguri by paying for hotel accommodation for upwards of ten years.
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, rapped bankers at a recent meeting in Maiduguri over movement of funds through banks to fund terrorism.
He had said the commission has commenced a probe of such transactions, wondering why a single NGO would operate 50 bank accounts, warning that EFCC would come down hard on bankers collaborating in such transactions.
Speaking in Maiduguri, the Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Abdulmalik Biu, said sponsors and collaborators had continued to supply arms, fuel and food to the insurgents thus escalating the war in the North-east.
“If terrorists are completely denied supplies of fuel and other logistics, how could they move their gun trucks, arms and ammunition to attack troops’ locations in the theatre of war?” he queried.
He said the war was a multi-dimensional one that required concerted efforts.
“How will the people be on board? You are a petroleum dealer that sells fuel only to genuine Nigerian citizens.
“The terrorists do not deserve to be sold petroleum products and other logistics for their operations. Some of the people have dealt in grains and other logistics with Boko Haram for about a decade.
“Why should you be carrying fuel and grains to the bush for insurgents?”, he further queried.
He said if insurgents were true citizens, they should come and to be integrated into Nigerian society for such transactions.
He said detractors continue to go behind the Army to provide support for Boko Haram and ISWAP with fuel and other logistics.
“We have made several arrests with overwhelming evidences in Maiduguri metropolis,” he said, adding that such evidence indicated collaborations with Boko Haram.
He said the suspected collaborators would be made public for prosecution in courts of law.
Meanwhile the Nigerian Air Force weekend conducted air strikes that struck terrorists structures killing scores of insurgents in Bakasi, on the fringes of Lake Chad.
An update attached with a video of the air strikes made available by NAF Spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said the air strikes killed ISWAP fighters.
“The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has destroyed additional terrorists’ structures and killed some Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters at Bakassi on the fringes of Lake Chad in Borno State in an air strike conducted yesterday.
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