Group hails army over battle against insurgents in Kogi, Nasarawa

A group known as the North Central Egalitarian Congress (NCEC) has hailed Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. and the Nigerian Army’s 4 Special Forces Command for successfully riding Kogi and Nasarawa states of Darul Salam/Boko Haram insurgents. 

NCEC gave the commendation in a press statement signed by Etubi Enebi, its president, on Tuesday.

According to the group, the dislodgement of the insurgents would bring a drastic end to cattle rustling, banditry, kidnappings and other forms of criminalities in the states.

Darul Salam, an extremist sect terrorising the north-central region and other states for over eight years, was recently declared a terrorist group by the Nigerian Army.

Activities of the group with Boko Haram became more prominent in the last seven months.

The group has been involved in killings, kidnapping for ransom, abduction for slavery and cattle rustling along the Okene- Lokoja and Abaji-Toto road.

Consequently, the Nigeria Army 4 Special Forces command in a joint operation with Whirl stroke embarked on an operation code-named “Operation Nut Cracker” to flush Ugya forest, Panda forest, Uttu forest and contagious hills in Nasarawa.

“The North Central Egalitarian Congress is in receipt of the exploits of troops of the Nigerian Army 4 Special Forces Command in the displacement of the Darul Salam/Boko Haram terrorists from their camps in Kogi and Nasarawa states recently,” the group said in a statement.

“This feat is particularly noteworthy given the fact that the group has been responsible for all kinds of criminal activities in the North Central region in the past five years and also acting as sleeper cells to escalate banditry, cattle rustling and other forms of criminality in the region.

“The North Central Egalitarian Congress wishes to state that troops from the Nigerian Army 4 Special Forces Command have indeed displayed acts of resilience and heroism in its clearance operations to rid the North Central region of the activities of the DarulSalam/Boko Haram.

“It is our considered opinion that with the dislodgement of the notorious group, cattle rustling, banditry, kidnappings and other forms of criminalities would be reduced drastically as multiple pieces of evidence indicate that the DarulSalam group has been responsible for these acts of criminalities in the North Central region.

“We are glad about the successful operation of the Nigerian Army. It, therefore, affirms our earlier position of the leadership strides of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai which has resulted in a professional and proactive Nigerian Army dedicated to preserving the territorial integrity of Nigeria, as well as responding adequately to other internal security operations such as this.

“The North Central Egalitarian Congress also acknowledges the fact that over 700 family members and abductees were rescued from Darul Salam captivity by the Nigerian Army and currently undergoing medical examinations towards reuniting with their loved ones once again after several months in captivity.

“The North Central Egalitarian Congress wishes to use this medium to assure the Chief of Army Staff of its continued support in its clearance operations towards ridding the North Central region of all traces of the Darul Salam terrorist group.

“We are glad that the commitment of the Nigerian Army towards the preservation of peace in the North Central region is indeed yielding the desired results in numerous ways. We consequently call on all other stakeholders in the North Central region to extend their support to the Nigerian Army towards ridding North Central Nigeria of acts of terrorism and other criminal activities.”