Speaking at a bi-weekly briefing, yesterday, in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj-Gen Markus Kangye, clarified that the MNJTF remains a critical regional security collaboration, and that efforts must be made to prevent any member state from leaving.
Kangye also assured the public that “security forces remain focused” on apprehending notorious terrorist leader Bello Turji.
He said, “When you hear ‘dem say’, it means the information lacks credibility. I think this area has been a subject of discourse for the past few months, especially when some members of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) decided to form an alliance and attempted to exit.
“But, you know, the MNJTF was established by the Lake Chad Commission countries to address their common security concerns. Nigeria has been making significant efforts to ensure the sustainability of this task force. However, if for any reason a member decides to pull out, the implications will be substantial. The synergy we are supposed to enjoy may no longer be there.”
Dismissing claims that the military had downscaled operations against herdsmen, terrorists and cattle rustlers among others, the DDMO said: “Troops intercepted some trucks loaded with cows, recovered them and are still on the hunt for high-value terrorists. I have also read out the report for the quarter about some high-value terrorists that were eliminated during the quarter. I have mentioned their names. So, as for Bello Turji, it is just a matter of time, an appointment will be fixed with him by his maker.”
Kangye refuted allegations of neglecting soldiers wounded in action. “To the best of my knowledge and what the armed forces are doing, our troops are adequately taken care of. During the Sallah break, you would have noticed the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff and other senior officers from services headquarters visiting troops at the front line to celebrate Sallah.
“The commander of infantry, General A.K. Ibrahim, was at 44 Military Hospital to have lunch with our soldiers wounded in action. Last year, while I held sway as the commander of artillery, I personally was at that same 44 Military Hospital to stay with our troops on Christmas Day. I didn’t spend Christmas with my family.”
On the killing in Edo State, he said, “The political leadership of both Edo and Kano states have taken action on the matter. Edo government visited that of Kano over the issue and families of the victims.
DHQ also warned against the spread of false information, particularly regarding religious crises in northern Nigeria.
“This is an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-dominated information age. False narratives can be manipulated to create confusion. However, we will investigate all credible reports and take appropriate action,” he assured.
