TROOPS of the Nigerian Armed Forces have neutralised a suspected female operative of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP)/Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) in Borno State and arrested 14 suspected criminals, including members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)/Eastern Security Network (ESN), suspected cultists and a deserter soldier, in separate operations conducted across the country.
News Point Nigeria reports that the operations were contained in operational reports made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, detailing recent successes recorded by troops in various theatres of operation nationwide.
According to the report, the suspected female terrorist was detected through Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras while approaching a military position from the Sambisa Forest axis.
The report stated that troops of the 222 Battalion stationed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Kawuri, in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, neutralised the suspect before she could reach the defensive perimeter of the military position.
In another operation, troops of Operation MESA arrested a deserter soldier attached to the 13 Brigade at a military checkpoint in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to the report, the troops recovered a military uniform and a vehicle from the deserter at the time of his arrest.
The report further disclosed that troops also intercepted another vehicle conveying suspected stolen armoured cables and arrested the driver for further investigation.
In the South-East, troops of Operation UDO KA apprehended five suspected members of IPOB/ESN at Etuekwe Junction in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State.
According to the report, the suspects were arrested at a secluded location believed to serve as one of the movement routes used by the criminal group.
The report also stated that troops of the 82 Division Garrison and the 103 Battalion, working in collaboration with other security agencies, arrested eight suspected cultists at Eha-Amufu in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State.
It added that preliminary investigations linked the suspects to terrorist activities around the Eha-Amufu border communities between Enugu and Ebonyi states.
According to the report, the suspects were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The operational report further disclosed that troops conducting Operations Desert Sanity V, FANSAN YAMMA and Savannah Shield recorded no major security incidents within their respective areas of responsibility during the period under review.
Meanwhile, the report also revealed that a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Sub-Delegation in Maiduguri paid a courtesy visit to Sector 3 of Operation HADIN KAI/Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) at Kinnasara Cantonment in Monguno, Borno State.
According to the report, the ICRC delegation briefed the Sector Commander on the organisation’s humanitarian mandate and its continued commitment to promoting International Humanitarian Law (IHL) as well as supporting populations affected by conflict across the Lake Chad Basin.