3,600 Soldiers, Fighter Jets, Air Force Helicopter Gunships Deployed To Borno, Yola and Maiduguri

About 3,600 security operatives and military hardware, including fighter jets have been deployed to Maiduguri ahead of yesterday’s declaration of State of Emergency.


NigerianEYE gathered that several military trucks carrying over 3600 soldiers drove into Borno, Yola and Maiduguri, yesterday, in compliance with the president’s orders. The military launched the first phase of its campaign to secure the country’s borders and flush out all terrorists and insurgents from the northern states.

We also learnt that the entire Northern flank of the armed forces, including the 3rd Armoured Division Jos; the 1st Division Kaduna; Brigade Commands and Components of the Infantry, Artillery, Armoured and Signal Corps have been co-opted into the military onslaught.

It was also gathered that Air Force Helicopter Gunships, and fighter jets have been put on standby for air bombardment of mountains and hill tops that adorn the three states, where the terrorists and insurgents run to after causing havoc.

Towards this end, the headquarters 75 Strike Group in Yola and the Air Combat Attack Group in Kainji where the fighter jets and helicopter gunships are to take off for sorties, have been activated.

Already, it was gathered that scores of armoured personnel carriers including those for reconnaissance, interjection, long range assault, as well as military vehicles for desert operations, signals and quick intervention action are already on their way to the three states.

 With the massive deployment of troops and the determination of the security chiefs to deal with the threat to the unity of the country, the exercise may involve deployment of about 3,600 men of the Armed Forces,” a top security source told one of our correspondents on Wednesday.

Reports on Wednesday said troops had already been sighted at the borders of the states. Also, residents and reporters in Yola, capital of Adamawa State; and Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, reportedly said there had already been an influx of troops and military hardware.

“I have never seen soldiers on the move quite like this before,” a Maiduguri resident, Ahmed Mari, told Reuters.

We started sensing danger on Saturday when we saw military trucks conveying soldiers to the Joint Task Force (JTF) headquarters along Pompomari area, Usman Jika, a resident of Maiduguri said.

By Sunday morning, so many roadblocks have sprung up in the state capital and there was noticeable cordon and search of houses by new faces (soldiers), he said.

All the soldiers that came to the neighborhood appeared new in the town, some of them said it is now time for ‘fire for fire he said. Another resident said he saw military aircrafts landing at the Maiduguri International Airport and the air strip at the Air Force base in the state capital.

A lot of fighting equipment have been deployed to Maiduguri, Hajja Maimuna, a resident of Gomari, whose house is close to the Air Force base said.

We are really terrified because the military operatives coming to Maiduguri in the last two days far outnumbered those that came during the previous emergency rule, she said.

Even though the state governor has not been removed, which is good, the truth is that Maiduguri is now a garrison town, full of angry soldiers who are ready to kill at the slightest provocation. The deployment will definitely hamper social and economic life of the people, she said.

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