DHQ Denies Engaging Mercenaries In Campaign Against Terrorists

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Friday, October 23rd, 2015

By Abdul Gaffar Bello

BALTIMORE, MD (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied the use of mercenaries in its battle against the Boko Haram terrorists, saying the military has enough trained soldiers to confront them in the North East, without resorting to their help.

DHQ Friday disclosed that the military has significantly up-scaled its troops and equipment deployment since the Presidential mandate, therefore did not need mercenaries, whether foreign or local to rout and put an effective end to guerrilla movements in the North East within the allotted time.

“Since the Presidential order, the military has been fighting the insurgents more and more effectively and all Nigerians, irrespective of where they live, have come to understand that we are making progress” the Defence affirmed.

The Military which hit that the media reports suggesting it resorted to use of mercenaries were “utterly scurrilous and a calculated attempt to smear” the image of the Nigerian military, as well as “a covert campaign of blackmail by disgruntled elements in society designed to pit the Nigerian people against their armed forces”.

DHQ therefore challenged that the blackmailers were not only unhappy because of the progress the military was making in the fight but more so, because their illicit gains in the war has been effectively stopped.

Defence assured that while the Nigerian Armed Forces were doing all that were needed to be done to ensure that the terrorists in the North East and all forms of criminalities were brought under effective control within the shortest possible time, it also appealed to the general public to discontinuance the unfounded rumour and give them their support and encouragement in the ongoing war against terrorists.