‘We do not negotiate with terrorists’ — DHQ

The Defence Headquarters Thursday dismissed insinuations that it is in negotiation with terrorists or criminals who claimed to have repented and as such want amnesty.

Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Benard Onyeuko, stated this at Defence Headquarters, Abuja while responding to a question after briefing the journalists on the theatre operations of Nigerian troops.

Said Onyeuko,“Our operations are whole. Wherever they are, we will look for them, we will hunt them and deal with them. Already, a lot of things are being done to bring them down. Be rest assured that the military will get to them”.

Continuing, “Our activities are what I won’t tell you because of security reasons”.

The director, DMO, said it was none of the military’s business to negotiate with the bandits’ kingpin, Kachalla Turji or any other criminals who are claiming to be victims and as such they want negotiation.

He vowed that the military would leave no stone unturned in wiping out all terrorists who have renewed attacks on innocent residents, vigilantes and soldiers in Kebbi State.

“It is not our business to negotiate. As you rightly put, you said the government, so, it is not our business to do that, he stated.”

He however restated the commitment of the military to end insurgency and criminality soon, saying that the troops would certainly track the criminals down wherever they might be.

During the briefing, Onyeuko, stated that over the past two weeks the troops and other security agencies crushed scores of bandits and terrorists as gallant troops continue to tackle the various security challenges facing the country.

He said that the troops sustained aggressive posture by conducting clearance operations in the fight against Boko Haram Terrorist/Islam State West Africa Province terrorists and other criminal elements in the theatre of operations. The troops operational efforts yielded significant results in some locations as no fewer than 121 terrorists were eliminated.

“Troops also recovered 4 AA-guns, 2,000 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, 10 bicycles, 1 unexploded Improvised Explosive Device, 1 MOWAG APC, 1 truck mounted with 122 artillery gun, 1 machine gun, 4 AK 47 rifles, 1 60mm motar tube with 5 bombs”, Onyeuko said.