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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) explained on Thursday how the last batch of the abducted Abuja/Kaduna train passengers regained their freedom.
The Chief of Defense Staff Action Committee (CDSAC) had on Wednesday announced the release of the hostages in a statement signed by Prof Usman Yusuf.
The Director Defence Information (DDI), Major General Jimmy Akpor, speaking at the bi-weekly media briefing on military operations in Abuja, said forces were deployed to rescue the 23 hostages who were kidnapped on March 28.
Gen Akpo, who described the strategy used for the operation as “non-kinetic” and classified, noted that it was coordinated by a high powered committee.
Gen Akpo, answering questions from reporters on the release of the remaining passengers, refused to go into details of what happened to the kidnappers but promised to hold a briefing at the appropriate time so as not to jeopardize ongoing operations and investigations.
“We have what we call elements of national power, and talking about elements of national power you have natural and social elements and these elements can be deployed separately or combined to achieve national objective,” he stated.
”You know that this was a very high powered committee and there was a lot of secrecy about how they went about deploying those elements of national power to ensuring that the last batch was released”.
Continuing, the Defence spokesman said “On the fate of the terrorists that carried out the attack, Akpor, said that they will not go unpunished.
“Talking about what happened to the terrorists,that is part of that details you won’t get now but surely anybody who commits any offence against the nation will definitely be fished out and be brought to book.”
He assured that activists of terrorists, bandits and other criminals terrorizing the peace of the country would soon be a thing of the past.
