BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), on Thursday explained how it secured the release the remaining 23 out of the 60 abducted Abuja-Kaduna train bound passengers through a coordinated and discreet operation that was non-kinetic.
Director of Defence Information, Major General Jimmy Akpor, who revealed the style of operation adopted by the military to secure the release of the last 23 victims, said the operation was coordinated by a high powered committee which was classified.
Akpor told Defence Correspondents at the bi-weekly media briefing that elements of national power were deployed to rescue the remaining 23 victims held hostage by terrorists since March 28, 2022.
The Defence spokesman said that the military has what it calls “elements of national power” which include natural and social elements, adding that the elements can be deployed separately or combined to achieve national objective.
In the words of Akpor; “You know that this was a very high powered committee and there was a lot of secrecy about how they went about deploying those elements of national power to ensuring that the last batch was released”.
Commenting on the fate of the terrorists that carried out the deadly attack, General Akpor said that they will not go unpunished, stressing that this is part of the details the military high command would not give for now.
He further said; “You won’t get such details now but surely anybody who commits any offence against the nation will definitely be fished out and be brought to book.
“I don’t think the details of the operation should be an issue for now. The most important thing is that these people have been held hostage for six months plus and the Defence Headquarters in collaboration with other agencies and a Committee that was set up by the President and Commander in Chief, has been able to secure their release.
“In the course of operations, there is what we call kinetic and non-kinetic operations and this one was that of non-kinetic Operations that was conducted to see that these people are released,” he said.
Akpor however assured that at the appropriate time, the details will be given by the military.
