The Nigerian Army has said that the continued detention of two separatist leaders, Nnamdi Kanu and Simon Ekpa, has brought relative peace to the Southeast region of the country.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja said this in a statement.
Onoja stated that criminal activities have reduced across the region in recent times.
“Crimes and other criminal activities have significantly decreased during the year following troops’ intensified operations across the South-Eastern states, as well as the recent court rulings against their leader, Simon Ekpa, who was jailed by the Government of the Republic of Finland, and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” Onoja said.
According to him, the developments have substantially degraded the group’s capabilities.
The Defense spokesman explained that the extremists had previously relied on attacking lightly manned checkpoints and security outposts.
He added that such attacks often resulted in the killing of security personnel, with weapons seized and later used to carry out further terror activities in the region.
According to the Army, the ongoing operations would be sustained to consolidate on recent gains, protect lives and property, and prevent the regrouping of criminal elements in the South-East.
