Defence Headquarters says some residents of the North-East sabotage security operatives’ efforts to combat insurgency in the region.
Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Enenche, said the people kept important intelligence away from the military.
Speaking on the Sunrise Daily programme on Channels Television on Monday, Enenche explained that the military was working to build better trust with the populace.
But responding to questions on the failure of the military to prevent the attack, Enenche stated, “It’s a concern to us. You need a guide, you need information. Will they tell us? That’s a question that we have to ask. Yes, sometimes. And most times, no.
“And that was one of the issues we have been ensuring to overcome, with civil-military cooperation activities, reaching out to them, even sending people by proxy to talk to them. Those are the things that have been the bane of the final success in the whole of this operation.
“Our patrols will pass through a route, in a village. By the time you are going, some people are looking at you. When you are coming back, the next thing is that you meet an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) planted on the road. And people saw them (terrorists), they won’t tell you. So that’s the area I think we are all working together as stakeholders.”