The Defence Headquarters yesterday announced the discovery ,by troops ,of a Boko Haram bomb-making factory in Buni Yadi , Yobe State.
Also, military sources said the alleged foreign mercenaries in the North-East are technical advisers providing trainingand instructions on the use of new armaments recently procured by the Nigerian military.
The Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said improvised explosive devices (IEDs) uncovered in Yobe State were those commonly used by suicide bombers.
“The ongoing cordon and search by troops in Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State has led to the discovery of a Bomb Making factory, where improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used by terrorists were being produced,”he said in a statement.
“Large quantities of IEDs including those commonly used by suicide bombers were recovered from the site.
“The factory, which was located in a fertilizer company, has also converted some of the materials therein for production of all types of IEDs.
“Troops are still evacuating the materials which include a large quantity of suicide bomber vests from the facility to their base. It is believed that the heavy calibre bomb used in blowing up the bridge between Damaturu and Buni Yadi was produced in the factory.
“The terrorists were sacked from Buni Yadi after a military assault that was conducted last Saturday.
“The troops advance was delayed by the series of IEDs planted on the highway leading to Buni Yadi. Four soldiers died from such IEDs in the course of the operation to clear terrorists from the town.
“This discovery is expected to degrade the capability of terrorists in the production of explosives, which they have been using lavishly in the area until they were dislodged from their stronghold.”
Also yesterday,military sources said the foreign mercenaries in the North-East are technical advisers providing trainings and instructions on the use of new armaments recently procured by the Nigerian military.
The military commanders said the stories in major international media and culled by local newspapers reporting that Nigeria was deploying hundreds of mercenaries against Boko Haram terrorists amounted to “a joke taken too far.”
According to a source: “The foreigners are technical advisers that are providing training and instructions on the use of new armaments recently procured by the Nigerian military in the war on terror. “
Sources said it was part of the propaganda to paint Nigerian military as incompetent to deal with the insurgency by desperately ascribing recent spate of successes to ‘others’ rather than the gallant troops’ efforts.
They said only recently, some news agencies ascribed such successes to Cameroonian, Nigerien and “battle hardened” Chadian forces but when it became obvious that the forces of those countries were mainly fighting along their own border areas blocking free movement of terrorists, “it became necessary to look for others” who are helping Nigerians to fight.
Sources also cited the “particular example of the maintenance technician, who died recently, that he was not even a combatant but a professional in fixing armoured vehicles.
President Goodluck Jonathan said recently on Voice of America (VOA) that Nigeria was receiving training assistance to get troops well acquainted with the recently acquired weaponry.
Jonathan said: “We now have this technical people who are trainers and technicians, who are to train our people on how to use them, and technicians that help the maintenance, at the same time training our people how to maintain this equipment.”
Sources recalled with regrets, the several years that Nigeria wasted while negotiating and appealing for equipment supply from the Western allies which were not only rebuffed but prevented other countries under their direct influence from selling to Nigeria.
“The fact that we have foreign experts outside the United States helping to train our troops is not a secret but it is not fair for them to embark on this blackmail simply because we got assistance from other places when they turned us down at a critical period”, the source stated.
When contacted the Director Defence Information, Maj-General Chris Olukolade said: “Sorry, I don’t have anything about that claim. I just know that Nigerian military and security forces are putting in all their resources, training and experience acquired over the years to address the security challenges.
“Our neighbours operating under the auspices of the Multinational Joint Task Force are also backing our efforts from all our borders with them
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