Defence Headquarters mirrors life in terrorists' camp, says it is filthy

The unwholesome leaving standard in the captured camps of the terrorists has been described by the Defence Headquarters as dirty.

A statement issued Saturday by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General AC Olukolade, said that troops have continued to stumble on strange and bizarre objects, including used and unused condoms, charms and amulets of various shapes in the camps deserted by the Boko Haram sect.

Other common items usually found in the rubbles of most of the destroyed camps, according to him, are syringes, test tubes and hand gloves.

'Apart from chemicals and materials for producing Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), Kayode said, narcotics of all types are also found to be common features as troops combed through camps in Sambisa forest, New Marte, and others.

'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.'

Olukayode also disclosed that DHQ Assessment teams have been drafted to Yobe and Adamawa States to update reports on the conduct of security operations in those states since deployment of troops in line with the State of Emergency.

The outcome, according to him, 'will also be presented for DHQ's further strategic guidelines for the subsequent phase of the operations.

'The Defence Headquarters has noted the dissemination through the channels of Aljazeera Television reports alleging massive civilian casualties in the ongoing security operations.  It wishes to point out that the video clip being shown on these Aljazeera reports has no bearing whatsoever on the current reality in the operations areas.  It is 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.

'It is 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.

'Besides, the identity attributed to the interviewee is therefore doubtful.  It is noteworthy that the Defence Headquarters had earlier alerted the public on the desperate attempts being made or put together to discredit the ongoing well-planned security operations.  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.  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.'