Defence spokesman, Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade, who made the revelation, said that other common items found by troops in the terrorists camps also included syringes, test tubes and hand gloves usually found in the rubbles of most of the destroyed camps.
According to him, apart from chemicals and materials for producing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), narcotics of all types were also found to be common features as troops combed through camps in Sambisa forest, New Marte, and others.
He noted that vehicles and various brands of electronics believed to have been stolen from various parts of the country were also found abandoned or destroyed in the camps or the escape routes of the insurgents. Most of these items were either destroyed or set on fire as the terrorists fled in different directions.
Meanwhile, Defence Headquarters (DHQ) assessment teams are currently in Yobe and Adamawa states to update the reports on the conduct of security operations in those states since deployment of troops in line with the State of Emergency.
The director of defence information told newsmen that the outcome would also be presented for DHQ’s further strategic guidelines for the subsequent phase of the operations.
The Defence Headquarters also noted that the allegation of massive civilian casualties in the affected states, as alleged through a video leaked to Aljazeera, had no bearing whatsoever with the current reality in the operations areas.
It noted in particular that the footages being referred to as civilian casualties were actually pictures of the destruction perpetrated by the terrorists at the police stations and prisons in Bama, Borno State, on 7 May, 2013, when the insurgents attacked the town.
He said that it was equally noteworthy that all the soldiers participating in the Special Operation have remained restricted to operational area since the mission started and could not have been available to grant the purported interview shown on the clips.
“It is unfortunate that the medium of Aljazeera is again being used for this unfortunate design. Thus, DHQ once again affirms that there has been no collateral damage to civilian lives and property in the scale presented by Aljazeera since the operation began”.
Consequently, the defence spokesman added that the unfair report is therefore to be discountenanced as part of the mischief aimed at undermining Nigeria’s security, territorial integrity and sovereignty by some foreign media and individuals.
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