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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters said on Wednesday that a battle damage assessment of the recent airstrike carried out in conjunction with the United States and Nigerian military is currently in progress.
This comes as the DHQ stated that intelligence reports confirmed the presence of terrorists in the locations targeted before the strikes were conducted.
The DHQ has also promised to make details of the operations public as soon as the assessment is concluded.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, made this known at a media briefing on updates on military operations conducted across the country.
Answering journalists’ questions on the recent bombing in bandits’ camps by the United States and Nigerian forces, Onoja said: “There is a process of battle damage assessment. We are still in that process, and once it is completed, we will communicate our observations to the public. In due course, we will give you all the information you require from the U.S.–Nigeria strikes.”
Gen. Onoja, who confirmed the presence of terrorists in the location before the bombardment, said:
“You know, terrorists are ubiquitous, and we cannot confine them to one location. Of course, there is evidence to show that they are in the Sahel. So we can also take it further since the proximity of the Sahel to Sokoto, intelligence reports have confirmed their presence there before those strikes were conducted against them. So yes, they were there, because those strikes were based on intelligence reports. They have confirmed their presence in those areas. The fact that it was not publicised is sometimes for operational security reasons.”
Onoja, while assuring that the military was monitoring possible terrorist movement outside the strike areas and working with field commanders to prevent infiltration into communities, said the armed forces were also encouraging civilians to share information with security agencies.
He said: “We are monitoring them, and we are doing the necessary things, communicating with all the force commanders in the areas that we have identified as threat areas, so that they will prevent them from assimilating into the community and causing further havoc. And as time goes on, you will hear about all the activities that we are doing. You know, it’s important that while we are acting, we keep it confidential. With time, I will call you here and brief you about all the things that we are doing.
“Also, we are mobilising the civilian population so that they will be vigilant and give information to the military and other security agencies, so that any issue of insecurity or any movement of these terrorists can be acted on quickly.”
To this end, he appealed to anyone in possession of ammunition remnants or materials linked to the operation to return them to security agencies for safe handling.
Speaking on criticism that greeted the joint operation, Onoja said it was not the role of the armed forces to respond to every public statement, noting that other relevant agencies were responsible for such matters.
Also speaking on the recent suicide bombing incidents, Onoja said the arrest of a suspected attacker this week had disrupted terrorist plans and logistics. He said intelligence efforts would continue as part of measures to prevent future attacks.
