The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), on Friday in
Abuja, said a rocket launcher production facility had been uncovered at
Dorayi District in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.
A statement issued and signed by Major
General Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information disclosed what
was described as a shocking discovery of the factory set up by the Boko
Haram sect.
The statement said that a cordon and search exercise led to the discovery of the facility.
It explained that the discovery followed the arrest of a prominent member of the terrorist group.
“Locally made anti-aircraft gun and mortar
accessories and rocket propelled grenade tubes and launcher along with
accessories were recovered.
“Also seized were three AK47 rifles and
hundreds of rounds of assorted ammunition as well as drilling machines
and other fabricating equipment.
The statement reminded the public to report
suspicious persons to security agencies in their localities to prevent
unwholesome act by terrorists.
Meanwhile, the presidency during the week
informed political leaders from the terror wracked North Eastern states
that their activities against the security forces’ efforts at combating
terrorism were being closely monitored.
At a meeting with the National Security
Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) early this week, certain
political officeholders including National Assembly members from
Adamawa, Borno and Yobe were reportedly told in plain terms that
government would not allow politicians to destroy the nation and its
armed forces.
A source at the meeting informed Saturday Tribune that
the northern leaders who were actually at the NSA’s office to protest
the extension of emergency rule in those states “ got more than they
bargained for as they were tongue-lashed and made to realise that every
act of sabotage against the security forces’ anti-terrorism effort
including phone calls was not escaping the attention of government.”
The National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously
passed the state of emergency extension law in the three states for
another six months. The unanimous decision came after a week of
protests and rejection of same by legislators and political elite in
the affected states.
“You would observe that there was no
objection to the extension when the Senate finally voted on the issue.
That was a fallout of the meeting with the NSA who minced no words in
telling these leaders that government would not mind withdrawing troops
from the axis if the extension law would not be passed.
“When these protesting leaders and
legislators from the north east zone confronted the National Security
Adviser on the need for the suspension of the state of emergency, he
told them point-blank that the decision was in their hands if they could
persuade their people at home to agree with the proposal, but added
that this would include withdrawal of all the troops from the affected
states
“Dasuki told them to go and tell their
traditional rulers, religious and youth leaders, including other
citizens of the three states on their decision against emergency rule
which should be widely publicised so that the troops can also be
withdrawn since we are in a democracy where people endorse all
propositions,” the source, who is close to one of the senators from the
zone, told news men on Saturday .
A security source, who was also privy to the
meeting, that “the NSA further warned that “the Nigerian military
would not continue to tolerate dirty-politics with the security
situation in the country. He particularly cited some politicians who
engage in verbal attacks on troops through reckless and unfounded
allegations and who sponsored inciting stories in the media and yet want
military protection.
“He also told them that security agencies are
closely monitoring activities of politicians and suspected local
sympathisers of Boko Haram who are in the habit of misleading the troops
for ulterior motives.
“Dasuki, a prince of Sokoto caliphate, the
cradle of Islam in Nigeria, was so infuriated that he asked them whether
they were more Northerner or believer than the rest of northern
officers in the security agencies working day and night to quench the
fire of Boko Haram which their political leaders created. He said rather
than for them to be grateful for the concern of all Nigerians from the
North and South towards addressing the security situations in their
zone, some of these leaders and local people continued to provide
misleading, diversionary information which had resulted in occasional
ambushes where patriotic, gallant soldiers were killed,” the source
added.
The source stated that it was at that meeting
that it dawned on these politicians that they must not do anything to
stop the extension of emergency rule in those states, hence the
unanimous Senate decision of Tuesday.
Meanwhile, as part of immediate efforts at
insulating soldiers from civilian influence on the anti-terrorism
operations, it has also been learnt that soldiers had been withdrawn
from non-essential services, including serving as military escorts to
political office holders.
“It was discovered that some top politicians
in the affected states who are in the habit of castigating the military
had also at the same time been in the habit of requesting for military
escorts rather than for operatives from other security services whenever
they are traveling to their constituencies in the north east. This has
been stopped because it is not part of the duties of soldiers to be
escorts to politicians in a democracy,” a source in the military told
news men on Friday.