In its determination to eliminate terrorism and smoke out Boko Haram members from their hide outs in parts of the North East and North West, the Federal Government has ordered 40 attack and transport helicopters from the United States of America and Russia.
In a related development, the military has arrested a man suspected to be connected to the twin explosions in Kaduna on Wednesday, which allegedly targeted the leader of All Progressives Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) and a cleric, Sheik Bauchi
Reliable sources in the Presidency revealed that some of the attack helicopters ordered would arrive in the country as early as next month while the remaining “will be received certainly before the end of the year to boost the Nigerian Air Force.”
The source added: “The arrival of the weaponry before the end of the year will be a game changer as it will help to ensure successful execution of the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations, especially against the Boko Haram terrorists.
“Some military and other security forces are currently frustrated about their inability to storm the notorious Sambisa Forest where Boko Haram militants are keeping the abducted Chibok secondary school girls and also serving as operational headquarters of the group.
“The reason, according to the findings, is that security operatives are not only aware of the locations of the girls but are also closely monitoring the way that the girls are being moved around but are afraid of the backlash should any harm befall the girls in the course of a forced rescue.”
Also confirming the planned purchase, a top security source who pleaded for anonymity noted: “Past incidences during attempts to rescue British and Italian nationals in Sokoto and SETRACO workers which boomerang are the reasons that the security forces have been reluctant in storming the forest and rescuing the girls.
“I wish we could have a consensus of opinion from Nigerians that we should storm the forest and rescue the girls. The day Nigerians decide on that with one voice, to clear the forest will take less than one week”.
Already, security forces have succeeded in ridding Zamfara, Kaduna, Jigawa and part of Bauchi states of Fulani cattle rustlers. These have been completely eliminated.”
The source stated further that although terrorism like any asymmetric wars have proven to be difficult to combat anywhere in the world, “the Nigerian security forces would have found it easier to deal with it, had there not been politicisation of the issue.”
THISDAY had exclusively reported two weeks ago that the Federal Government amongst other weaponry, had purchased two highly sophisticated Helicopter Gunships, which are due to arrive the country next month.
According to a source within the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA), these choppers also include night vision technology to enable soldiers monitor and take out the terrorists who move mainly at night to carry out their dastardly acts.
The source added: “In fact, we now have the latest aircraft for surveillance and intelligence gathering. More of these weapons are on their way but these (helicopters) are for urgent purposes. I can assure you that more equipment are coming; serious ones.”
In a related development, a military source confirmed THISDAY’s report that a special unit of counter-terrorism forces had just been trained under an international agreement and are ready to be fully deployed to volatile areas of terrorism activities.
Source: ThisDay