The Boko Haram insurgents no longer operate on the Nigerian soil, according to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ).Its spokesman Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu said the insurgents had been pushed to the Tombus Islands on the fringes of Lake Chad.

“Boko Haram is not occupying any part of this country,” he said in reference to a claim attributed to Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum that Boko Haram was occupying two local government areas in the state.

Gen. Nwachukwu said: “I want to make it clear that Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) have been defeated and pushed into what we call the Tombus Islands.

“These are the islands between Nigeria and neighboring countries of Niger and Chad, where they have their enclave and from where they come out and carry out attacks on soft targets. Boko Haram is not holding any inch of the country.”

On the activities of the joint operations coordinated by the  DHQ, he said there were five of them.They are the Operation Safe Haven, Operation Hadarin Daji, Operation Thunder Strike, Operation Whirl Stroke and Operation Delta Safe.

The DHQ spokesman said activities by the operations had increased across the country in the last three months, resulting in what he called tremendous achievements.

Gen. Nwachukwu said Leah Sharibu had not been rescued because troops were cautious not to put her and other captives in greater danger.

Sharibu is one of the 109 schoolgirls  abducted  on February 19, 2018  by   insurgents at the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, in Yobe State.

Others were freed but Sharibu was held back by the insurgents   for allegedly refusing to denounce her Christian faith and convert to Islam.

Christian leaders in the North under the aegis of the Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF) on Sunday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to secure her freedom as Christmas gift

But Gen. Nwachukwu assured  that the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole were working tirelessly to ensure that Sharibu and other persons  still in Boko Haram captivity were  rescued alive.

He said:  “Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have been treading cautiously because these people are all in the hands of   terrorists and any reckless move may result in their annihilation by the terrorists just to ward off the troops. It is a very complex and risky operation but the troops are working day and night to ensure that they are rescued.”

Under Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), Nwachukwu disclosed that the troops averted 64 attempted infractions on Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) pipelines.

He added that the troops also arrested 27 suspected militants/pirates, recovered nine AK47 riffles with 755 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.

According to him, OPDS also embarked on rigorous anti-kidnapping operations, resulting in the rescue of over 43 victims and arrest of  four kidnaapping

He said that troops under Operation Hadarin Daji in Zamfara State and its environ arrested 389 suspected bandits, 48 suspected kidnappers and rescued 1,048 kidnap victims within the period under review.

Gen. Nwachukwu said the troops also recovered 5,567 rustled cattle, 2,499 sheep, 973 goats, 15 camels and 14 donkeys.

Other items recovered from the bandits, he said, were 58 AK-47 rifles, five G3 riffles, five FN riffles, seven pump action guns and 95 locally-made guns.

Others are  three rocket-propelled grenade launchers, 12,803 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 100 rounds of cartridges and 128 magazines.

He explained that Operation Whirl Stroke was  initiated to address the herders/farmers and communal clashes in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba.

The spokesman added that troops of Operation Whirl Stroke   conducted over 32 offensive operations against armed herdsmen, militia gangs and suspected kidnapping camps in the last three months.

He explained that the troops destroyed 82 kidnappers’ makeshift camps, arrested over 266 bandits, one illegal arm manufacturer and three gunrunning kingpins and recovered 217 assorted assault weapons and 4,201 rounds of ammunition.

According to him, efforts of Operation Whirl Stroke also paved the way for 266,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to return to their ancestral homes

https://thenationonlineng.net/boko-haram-no-longer-operating-in-nigeria-says-defence-hqrts/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Mynd44 OAM4J

...from where they come out and carry out attacks on soft targets

Story tellers

ok

Yeah! You seems to be right.The real BH are those who were sympathetic to this deadly organization who are well entrenched in this present government.

Meanwhile, the previous attacks & the ystdy Yobe attack happened where? Nigeria behold the lying people ruling you as a nation.What an insult on the victims of BH attacks and those have unfortunately lost their lives to this self-inflicted carnage.

Make this people dey fear God sometimes now

I have a picture saying otherwise

But our NORTHERN border was closed and patrolled?.

useless shameless lier

Nigerian army keeping shooting themselves at the leg.
If Boko haram resides outside Nigeria but yet easily enters d country nd attack Nigerians it clearly shows that Army ar not living up to their task.
Where they not suppose to secure our boarders against foreign invasion

This clearly exonerates those who said northern boarders ar open in spite of Buhari boarder closure.
Cause if northern borders ar closed how will Boko haram enter nd attack Nigerians
Buhari only closed Southwestern boarders

Liars! Liars!! Liars!!! Shame!!! Even a supposed professional organization of the Nigerian Army repute have become a gross disgrace and embarrassment today

Unfortunately, the defense headquarters is not even in Nigeria..

This their lies is vexing the devil that is why devil has blacklisted Nigeria because he is tire to collect blames not meant for him

Odiegwu...

Like someone said above, Lucifer, the former master of lies, has gone on voluntary retirement as the Council of lies has formally adopted the NIgerian Army as its technical acting-president with Lie Mohammed as acting secretary pending further reviews.

The operate technically only in Daura.

Mumuu people.

Imagine what Nigerian army have been reduced to lying

What a tragic comedy

Ok

that means yobe and borno are not in Nigeria