- Says MNJTF’s grand offensive against Boko Haram, ISWAP in progress
The Military High Command said yesterday that the removal of the former Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Olusegun Adeniyi, was routine.
Adeniyi, had in a viral video, with a battlefield background, lamented the lack of weapons and equipment to fight insurgents.
He had said that insurgents fired mortar bombs and Rocket-propelled Grenades (RPGs) at troops without commensurate response over lack of the necessary weapons.
He was removed in a shake-up by the Nigerian Army Headquarters on Wednesday and moved to the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja as a senior research fellow.
This comes as it said the offensive launched by Nigeria, Niger and Chad against Boko Haram and ISWAP was in progress and achieving the desired goal of maximum domination.
Also, Defence Headquarters said it had launched an investigation into the alleged shooting of civilians by a soldier in Warri, Delta State even as it restated its commitment to the enforcement of federal government’s directive on restriction of movement to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking at a briefing in Abuja, Coordinator, Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Major General John Enenche, said Major General Adeniyi’s removal was routine.
“In the first place, as I am sitting down here, I can be removed at any time. It is an administrative procedure of the services. It is a routine.
I know the rules guiding such postings. After three months, you can be redeployed and you have somebody that has been there for almost a year.
“Disregard conspiracy theories, once you have reached the rank of a general, you can handle many appointments at a time. Posting is a regular feature of military redeployments,” he said.
He said a forensic analysis of the video would be conducted after which the outcome would be made known.
On the grand offensive launched by the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram and ISWAP, Enenche said the operation was achieving the maximum objective of domination of the enemy.
On the alleged shooting of civilians in Warri by a soldier which video has gone viral on social media, he said: “we are aware of the situation and it is under investigation. When investigation is concluded, we will inform you.”
On the preparedness of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to support government’s efforts, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations said the military was ready to supply liquefied oxygen to isolations centres even as it had set up an additional isolation and treatment centre, Navy Reference Hospital in Ojo Town in Lagos State, bringing the number of such centres to 18.
“The High Command of the Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to assure the public of its commitment to the presidential directives on COVID-19. In this regard, I wish to state that we have provided an additional isolation and treatment centre, located at the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, Navy Town, Ojo in Lagos, bringing the number to 18 centres.
“Equally, the training of 80 medical personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to manage COVID-19 cases has since commenced. They are being trained in batches and would soon be deployed to the various units they would serve. In addition, the recalling of retired Armed Forces medical personnel is in progress,” he said.
He further stated that a strategic level preparation by the military in support of COVID-19 effort by the federal government was in progress.
“Currently, Nigerian Air Force is operating at full capacity its Liquefied Oxygen (LOX) plant at the 103 Strike Group (103 STG) at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Yola.
“The plant is on 24 hours operation to ensure uninterrupted production of pure liquefied oxygen. The liquefied oxygen is being gasified and will be stored in cylinders for immediate supply to isolation centers and designated hospitals as will be directed,” Enenche said.
Source: THISDAY
