No fewer than four Pakistani nationals have been arrested by the military over alleged links to terrorism.
The Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, disclosed this while briefing defence correspondents who visited the theatre of operations in Maiduguri on Wednesday.
Abubakar said preliminary investigations suggested that the foreigners were involved in arms trafficking and in training terrorist groups operating in Nigeria’s North-East.
According to him, the support from foreign mercenaries has made terrorist groups in the country more lethal and tactically advanced.
He said, “The infiltration of foreign mercenaries in the joint operations area has significantly escalated the threat posed by terrorist groups like ISWAP and JAS.
“The recent arrest of four Pakistani nationals, whose initial investigation suggests that they deal in arms running with terrorists, is instructive.”
Abubakar added that the involvement of the foreign operatives has led to the adoption of more sophisticated tactics by the terrorists, including the deployment of drones.
“It suffices to mention that the foreign mercenaries facilitate tactical and strategic training for these terrorists.
“This includes the deployment of drones for surveillance and attacks, the fabrication of advanced improvised explosive devices, and the setting of traps targeting military personnel,” he said.
The commander called for a coordinated international response to counter the growing threat.
“This alarming trend calls for an immediate coordinated response, including intensified intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations, as well as strong collaboration between Nigeria and neighbouring nations to disrupt cross-border support networks,” he said.
Abubakar stressed that the threat posed by terrorists is not limited to the armed forces alone, but to Nigeria as a whole.
“The Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists are not waging war against the armed forces but against Nigeria,” he said.
He commended the dedication of Nigerian troops serving under harsh and dangerous conditions and called for greater national support and recognition.
“We have our troops here in the field, spread across different locations during these harsh weather conditions, which can rapidly become very cold at night.
“So, there are heroes, and I tell you, we will do well to appreciate them occasionally and the only way to do that is through the media.
“These are also Nigerians. It is not the terrorists against the armed forces; it is the terrorists against Nigeria as a nation. Once we begin to understand this and have a common front, we will be able to make tangible progress,” he said.
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