The Defence Headquarters announced on Thursday that troops from the 7th Guards Battallion and the 176th Battallion, backed by aircraft from the Nigerian Airforce, killed 30 terrorists during the operation and counter-operation.
Major General Bernard Onyeuko, Director of Defence Media Operations, stated that troops successfully cleared Kawu and Ido villages in the area, noting that "about 30 terrorists were neutralized and their enclave and hide out were destroyed."
This comes as the Defense Headquarters disavowed a viral voice note trending on social media claiming to be that of a soldier who survived a terrorist attack on troops of the Presidential Guards Brigade in Bwari by terrorists, which resulted in the death of six soldiers, including a Captain and Lieutenant, during an ambush by the terrorists.
In a viral video, a soldier stated that after being deployed to the Bwari area due to intelligence that Boko Haram terrorists were planning an attack on the Nigerian Law School, the troops were tracking the terrorists, who were shifting base until they reached a stream/river where troops artillery equipment/gun trucks could not cross.
The soldier went on to say that the terrorists were successful in their ambush because the soldiers abandoned their mobile artillery equipment and gun trucks and crossed the river in search of the terrorists, who had already set up shop in various parts of the bush.
However, while briefing the media on military operations and tensions in Abuja deployments over terrorist and bandit attacks, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Bernard Onyeuko, revealed that the person in the viral voice note alleging so many things was an unknown soldier without a name or identity and should be ignored.
He stated that the military authorities' action in going after the terrorists in Bwari after receiving intelligence on their plans demonstrated that issues of dealing with security challenges were being addressed.
"You now understand that the military does not sleep. The soldiers had been in the bush for about two weeks. They were not planning a tea party. This incident occurred as a result of their efforts to track down and apprehend these terrorists.
Onyeuko stated that the operation was carried out in conjunction with the air component of Operation Whirl Punch, and that the clearance patrol around Bwari lasted from July 24 to July 26, 2022.
"During the mob up, ground troops also recovered six motorcycles, two AK47 rifles, and one fully loaded LMG magazine, among other things."
He reassured members of the public, particularly residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja and its environs, that the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies were addressing the security challenges with the goal of ending insurgency activities in the affected areas.
"The hierarchy of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies wishes to reassure Nigerians of its commitment and pact with all Nigerians," said Major General Onyeuko.
"With the recent operation that took place between the 23rd and the 28th of this month, we want to reassure residents of Abuja in particular that we are undaunted and unwavering in our efforts to ensure the safety of lives and property."
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