Nigeria ‘raids Boko Haram with air strikes’

Necessary air and land deployment of troops and equipment to reverse all recent breach of security by “terrorists and criminals” operating in parts of the country is ongoing, the defence headquarters has said.

After the ceasefire deal announced on October 17, Boko Haram revved up its attacks in northeastern Nigeria, abducting, injuring and killing scores of people, including policemen.

The last week alone featured a heavy attack on Mubi, Adamawa state, triggering an exodus of residents; and a bomb blast at the Gombe Line Transport Service (also known as Central Park), Gombe, which a rescue worked said killed “more than 30 people”.

Whatever faint hopes of a ceasefire among the people was extinguished on Saturday, when it emerged that ‘Abubakar Shekau’ had released a video on Friday branding the peace deal “a lie” and insisting that the group “did not negotiate” and will “never negotiate” with anyone.

But in a statement posted on its website, the military said highly-coordinated air bombardment was already “yielding required results in the mission to repel the unwarranted attacks on citizens, especially in Adamawa and Borno states as land forces are also conducting mopping-up operations to apprehend retreating terrorists and facilitate restoration of normalcy in some of the affected communities”.

It said more details would be released as the operations progress.

The military also said it was studying “the content of the video purportedly released by terrorists on Friday”, saying further information on subsequent position on the issues involved would be “released as appropriate in due course”.

“The military will continue to accord due recognition to any ongoing mediatory efforts towards bringing our girls home and terminating the insecurity in parts of the country,” it said, assuring citizens of the commitment and optimism of security agencies about the positive outcome of ongoing operations.