The Defence Ministry on Wednesday said that notorious terrorist leader, Bello Turji has been on the run as a result of sustained offensives by the troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in recent time.
The Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru stated this during a Ministerial Briefing on the activities of the ministry on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said that troops also killed at least 11 notorious terrorist leaders in recent operations.
The Minister identified some of the terrorists killed as Maza Barume Madaro; Kachalla Alhaji Dati; Bani Wala Burki; Kachalla Dogo Kwaden; Chairman Hanazuma; Kachalla Bandiyo; and Maiyara Madaci.
Others killed include Alhaji Karki; Kachalla Makore; Zakiru and Okachalla Azarailu.
According to him, troops are neutralising the bandits by the day, and the leaders are going down by day. And they are on the run.
“Recently, there has been a renewed impetus to all our operations across the country, translating into commendable achievement, specifically in the Northeast.
“Inspote of the recent short-lived desperation of the terrorists, troops have responded excessively and turned a devastating blow across the theatres,’’ he said.
Badaru assured Nigerians of the commitment of the military to address all the prevailing security challenges, adding that they were doubling their intelligence to nip them in the bud.
He said that Nigeria’s security challenges were deeply rooted in decades-long social and political fractures, economic dislocation, transnational borders influence, and global terrorism metrics that continue to mutate beyond classical military doctrines.
