The Nigerian Defence Headquarters, DHQ, on Monday reacted to videos of bandit leader, Bello Turji and his gangs seizing two Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles, MRAPs, during an operation.
The Director of Defence Media Operations Maj-Gen Edward Buba, said the two MRAPs were demobilized due to the inability of troops to use them after they got stuck in swampy terrain during operations against bandits in Zamfara State.
Over the weekend, videos had emerged of Turji and his gangs taking over some MRAPs while burning down another.
In the footage, the bandits had boasted of taking over the Army vehicles as part of Jihad.
However, Buba insisted that the troops demobilized the MRAPs while accusing the bandits of attempting to take advantage of the situation to mislead the public.
Buba said the MRAPs were demobilized to prevent the bandits from using them.
A statement by Buba reads, “On 29 Aug 24, at about 1700 hrs, troops of OP HADARIN DAJI deployed at FOB Zurmi in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, embarked on fighting patrol to dislodge terror gathering at Kwashabawa Village. Troops engaged the terrorists enroute the location.
“During the fight, while attempting to outflank the terrorist. Quantity 2 of troops MRAPs got bogged down due to the swampy terrain occasioned by the rain. While troops tried to extricate the MRAPs, the terrorist mass up knowing the challenge troops had encountered with the MRAPs.
“Subsequently, troops dismounted and demobilized the MRAPs, when efforts to backload them were futile. The said demobilization of the MRAPs by troops was to prevent it from being useful to the terrorist after abandonment.”
Bello Turji: Nigerian Military reacts to videos of bandits seizing 2 Army vehicles
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