The military high command yesterday, gave graphic details of how it overcame a 10-hour fire fight with Boko Haram insurgents to capture what it described as one of the largest cache of weaponry belonging to the group.
The revelation came as the Federal Government warned yesterday that the Boko Haram scourge was capable of crippling the economy of Northern Nigeria. At the end of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting yesterday the government urged prominent northern leaders to rise up in solidarity with the government in the battle, saying that the conflict was already casting negative indices on the regional economy.
Speaking after conducting reporters round what the military described as the destroyed weaponry of the Boko Haram group after yesterday’s gun duel, Army spokesman, Lt Ikediche Onyenonachi Iweha said: “A search on the premises revealed that the facility which was attacked is a bomb manufacturing factory as well as an operational warehouse with several unexploded IEDS.”
Lt. Iweha stated that the military on arrival at the suspected bomb factory came under fire from the Boko Haram fighters who also threw several Improvised Explosive Devises (IEDs) at them but were compelled by the exigencies of the operation to handle the situation with caution.
The three bedroom flat used as the base of the insurgents located on the outskirts of the Mariri neighbourhood of Kano was yesterday strewn with bullet holes. The flat was dilapidated.
The Army spokesman explained the insurgents had substantial fire power as they engaged security agents in sustained gunfire that lasted between 1700hours to 0340hours before they were subdued.
He revealed that four casualties were recorded on the side of the armed group during the combat operation, adding that a large cache of arms and ammunition including locally made bombs were recovered.
Items recovered included 10 AK 47 riffles with 27 loaded magazines; one pump action gun, 223 packets of live ammunition and several mobile police uniforms.
Also recovered from the flat were identity cards and several bags of urea fertilizer and assorted cables for detonating IEDs.
The Army spokesman appreciated what he described as the overwhelming support the military has received so far from the general public, and urged them to continue to support the operation for the good of the state.
Attacks harmful to Northern economy— FG
The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, told State House correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, that the government was worried that the insecurity and terrorism recurring in some sections of the North could destroy the economy of the North.
He, therefore, harped on the need for Northern leaders, elders and other stakeholders to rally round the government and get involved in bringing this development to an end.
“If some names were mentioned by some media houses it doesn’t mean that it could be true. It could be false, we don’t just take it on the pages of newspapers because you report a story, whether it is NTA, radio or video it takes more than that to establish the veracity of a claim. So our doors are open to every formal channel of communication for the evolution of a process that should lead to a dialogue.”
“So the government is clear we are ready to dialogue already the President had said so”, .
The minister explained that, the North more than any region needs peace and stability as it is clearly lagging behind in infrastructure and other development indices; saying “If any region needs peace in the country it was the Northern Nigeria.”
Maku who reacted to consistent threats issued by Boko Haram group to bomb parts of the North, pointed out that “terrorism in places like Kano is destroying the North as it hits at the heart of the development of the region”.
According to him, Kano serves as a commercial nerve centre of not only the North but services neighbouring countries like Chad and Niger Republic whose traders also patronise the city.
”It makes no sense to attack innocent people and destroy the North. Sokoto is the spiritual headquarters of Islam inNigeria and the terrorist group claims they want to attack the city.”
In what way does that help Islam, or progress and development of the region if that is what they are fighting for?”, he said.
While assuring that government would continue to deploy resources and develop capacity to contain insecurity and terrorism, Maku urged Northern leaders, elders and other stakeholders to rally round the government and get involved in bringing this development to an end.
”A lot of arrests are being made, about 14 so far. The federal government is investing resources in intelligence and we are beginning to see results on a consistent basis. More security personnel are also being deployed to trouble spots”, he stated.
shedding more light on President Jonathan’s call for dialogue, he said:
“it is known to government that our children and citizens are involved in these terror attacks, and it has offered an opportunity for them to come forward and state their grievances”.
Maku pointed out that while the government is not pleased to deploy its military arsenal against its own citizens and that is why the door of negotiation remains very much open, lack of “coherent submission by those involved (Boko Haram) on what they want to do”, has not help matters either.
“If you go and attack Sokoto for example , Sokoto is the spiritual headquarters of all muslims in the country. The sultan of Sokoto is officially recognised as the leader of muslims in Nigeria.
He is the Prime leader and authority of islam, so if for example threaten to attack Sokoto what is the benefit? and that is why we continue to say that we do not see much of religion in what is happening, because if Sokoto is virtually an islamic centre and the headquarters of the caliphate that spreads islam to most part of Nigeria and even south-west so if you go and attack Sokoto in what way does it affect the course of Islam if it is Islam they are fighting for”.
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