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BREAKING: Soldiers on Operation Whirl Stroke ambushed, wounded in Benue – DHQ

Published

6 years ago

November 6, 2018

A Captain in the Operation Whirl Stroke stationed in Benue , Zakari Sani , has been wounded in an ambush , alongside other officers , Defence Headquarters has said .In a series of tweets on its verified Twitter handle @ DefenceInfoNG on Tuesday evening , the DHQ said that “ a very courageous and hardworking officer , Zakari Sani , was ambushed alongside other soldiers in Benue State while on Operation Whirl Stroke .

It noted that Sani was badly wounded and was evacuated to Benue State University Teaching Hospital , Makurdi , where he was initially stabilised and later evacuated to Ceda Crest Hospital in Abuja for higher management outside of the operations theatre.

“ Ceda Crest Hospital is one of the best hospitals in the country as at today , ” DHQ said .
“ The team of doctors and other medical staff , including expatriates , are attending to the officer whose situation , though serious , is getting better by the day , ” the tweet said .

The DHQ said that Sani has undergone several medical procedures which have helped to stabilise him further .

It denied allegation that the wounded officer had been taken out of the country , saying , “ Information given about Captain Zakari may be intended to ensure he gets the best of medical attention , but the narrative is not true .

“ If he had been hurriedly taken out of the country without the stabilisation treatment according to medical advice , the outcome may not be certain . ”

The tweet noted that the military takes care of the medical needs of her personnel, including her retired colleagues.

“ As necessary , various cases are sent on Medevac , especially those personnel wounded in active service , ” the DHQ tweet said .

It added that the Chief of Defence Staff , Gen . Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin , has “ placed medical surveillance on the officer for eventual medical evacuation outside the country . ”

“ It should be noted that foreign medical evacuation is a process that is done with the advice of the medical doctor that is administering the stabilisation treatment , ” the tweet further said .

It may be recalled that on May 18 , 2018 , the Defence Headquarters inaugurated the Operation Whirl Stroke for Benue , Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara states to counter armed herdsmen and militia groups operating within the region.

The Acting Director of Defence Information, Brig . – Gen . John Agim , while briefing journalists at the Tactical Air Command headquarters in Makurdi , said the operation , which began on May 8 , comprised all the military services , Police and the Department of State Services .