Defence headquarters warns on cluster bombs

By OKOSUN OKHUELEIGBE

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Thursday in Abuja warned Nigerians especially those living in the North East and any other part of the country to watch out for “Cluster Bombs” that may have been clandestinely sneaked into contested areas.

Also called “scatter bombs”, the Director, Defence Information, Col Rabe Abubakar said that the Nigerian Army Engineers serving in Adamawa State have recovered some catches of such bombs in the contested areas in recent times.

Col Abubakar explained that it became necessary for the military high command to notify the general public adding that it was discovered that Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) in the area used such lethal instruments over time to push their callous terrorist course.

For easy identification, he said, “cluster bombs are bombs that house sub-munitions, that is, smaller explosives contained in individual cases.

“These bombs are used against large areas containing many targets, such as columns of vehicles, marketplaces, places of worship or large troop concentration as the case may be. Some cluster bombs carry several hundred of very small explosives wrapped in a metal container like a pot while others carry larger submunitions that can find specific targets such as tanks,” Col Abubakar said.

In a statement, he reiterated that “Some of these submunitions do not blow up immediately, but remain behind and act as landmines. This can be an acceptable explanation for the recovery of catches of these bombs by Nigerian Army Engineers in the area.

He called on the public to be wary of such concealed dangerous equipment now being used by the terrorist elements to cause havoc to both innocent lives and property.

Col Abubakar, therefore, called on all and sundry to make information available to the security agencies in case such objects/materials are seen or found within their area of habitation, saying the terrorists are desperate and frustrated and could use any cruel instrument to actualize their evil intention.