‘Operation Clampdown’ To Rescue Chibok Girls, Others From Boko Haram Captivity – CDS

CDS OlonisakinThe Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, yesterday assured that the military would sustain efforts to wipe out remnants of Boko Haram Terrorists from Nigeria in a short while.
Speaking with reporters in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Sunday, Olonisakin said that his visit to the insurgency hotbed was aimed at getting first-hand information on the ongoing counter-insurgency operation.
On the visit with the CDS were the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratia and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Baba Abubakar.
“I want Nigerians to know that we are determined to wipe out the terrorists from our land. And from the Sambisa axis, we are really committed to ensure that we clear them as soon as possible. I am here for a routine visit with the service chiefs. I have come to appraise the level of performance in the operation and see how we can actually address some issues on the operation. The operation is actually to wipe out, to clear Sambisa; that is ‘Operation clamp down’ is to clear Sambisa of the terrorists”, he said.
The defence chief said the invasion of the Sambisa forest, which began about five days ago, had been most successful.
“The operation is on course. Like I said, it is five days gone now. The little issues being encountered by the troops will be addressed so that the momentum of the operation can be sustained”, he said.
He noted that the military had acquired some anti-landmine equipment to ensure the success of the operation.
“We have some landmine of course; it is an issue we have been faced with in this operation. We have some counter Improvised Explosive Device (IED) equipment and other indigenous devices that will be used to ensure that the operation goes as planned”, he said.
Gen. Olonisakin also assured that the military was determined to rescue the abducted Chibok Girls and others held captive by the terrorists.
“The rescue operation for the Chibok girls is also part of the ‘Operation clamp down’.
“There are five little operations within the operation: the rescue operation is one of the operations. Every person that had been abducted by Boko Haram terrorists will be rescued, including the Chibok girls. The operation like I said is to clear our land of the terrorists, we take the operations one after the other. We will move into those areas where we believe they are hiding and flush them out”, he said. (NAN)