Troops of the Joint Task Force, North-east Operation Hadin Kai, have apprehended no fewer than 41 individuals, including soldiers, police personnel, and traditional leaders, for allegedly selling arms and ammunition to terrorists and other enemies of the state in the North-east and other regions.
The military high command disclosed that the suspects included 18 serving soldiers, 15 mobile policemen, and eight civilians, some of whom are traditional rulers. These arrests were made during operations carried out across 11 states, including Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Enugu, Lagos, Plateau, Kaduna, Rivers, Taraba, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The disclosure was made by the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, while addressing defence correspondents during the biannual media tour of the theatre’s area of responsibility in Maiduguri.
In a related development, the military has debunked a viral report allegedly released by Amnesty International, which claimed that over 148 villages in seven local government areas of Benue State had been sacked by gunmen, resulting in a looming humanitarian crisis. The military dismissed the report as fallacious.
Additionally, concerns have been raised over the increasing collusion of some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with terrorists, as they reportedly deliver food items and other supplies under the guise of humanitarian assistance.
Meanwhile, efforts by the Joint Task Force, South-east Operation Udo Ka, to counter extremist ideologies and foster civilian cooperation have suffered a setback. The Udo Ka FM radio station, which was established as part of a strategic communication initiative, is currently operating below its installed capacity, thereby hindering effective outreach.
