Troops Neutralise More Than 285 Terrorists

The Nigerian troops have neutralised 286 and arrested 244 terrorists in different parts of the country.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, made the call while briefing journalists on ongoing military operations in different parts of the country in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

General Buba said that “troops also arrested 83 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 122 kidnapped hostages.”

According to him, in the South-South region, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of two billion, five hundred and sixty-five million, four hundred and seventy-nine thousand, and seven hundred and twenty naira (N2, 565,479,720.00) only.

Furthermore, troops recovered 587 assorted weapons and 7,943 assorted ammunition.

The breakdown is as follows: 207 AK47 rifles, 56 locally fabricated guns, 17 pump action guns, 10 locally fabricated pistols, 22 Dane guns, and 10 IEDs, among others.

Others are 4,088 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 2,529 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 138 rounds of 9mm ammo, and 32 motorcycles, amongst other items.

He said that “troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 134 dugout pits, 79 boats and 116 storage tanks.”

Other items recovered include 149 cooking ovens and 74 illegal refining sites.

Troops recovered 2,947,770 litres of stolen crude oil, 251,800 litres of illegally refined AGO, 6,125 litres of DPK and 6,790 litres of PMS.

According to him, troops of Operation HADIN KAI neutralised 70 terrorists, arrested 31 BH/ISWAP terrorists, and rescued 27 kidnapped hostages in Yobe State, North East, Nigeria.

Similarly, troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN neutralised 5 insurgents, arrested 56 violent extremists, and rescued 5 kidnapped hostages in North Central, Nigeria.

Troops also recovered 4 AK47 rifles, 82 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, and the sum of N642,930.00,  amongst other items.

General Buba also noted that troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE neutralised 14 terrorists, arrested 12 of them, and rescued 5 kidnapped hostages.

Troops recovered 15 AK47 rifles, 336 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, and 94 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, amongst others

Furthermore, the troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI neutralised 58 terrorists, arrested 5 terrorists, and rescued 76 kidnapped hostages in the North West, Nigeria.

Troops recovered 29 AK47 rifles, 17 locally fabricated guns, 524 rounds of 7.62mm special, 343 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, and 56 rounds of 9mm ammo, amongst other items.

According to him, following INTREP on the presence of a kidnapping syndicate hibernating in the new kidnapper’s kingpin Alhaji Lawal enclave in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State, the air component of Operation WHIRL PUNCH conducted air interdiction in the North West region with success.

He said that “the location was observed to be active with violent extremist/kidnapper activities and was attacked with rockets.”

He noted that the Battle Damage Assessment revealed that the violent extremists’ kingpin and several of his foot soldiers were neutralised, with their structures destroyed.

Overall, troops of Operation WHIRL PUNCH neutralised 93 insurgents, arrested 32 violent extremists and terrorists, and rescued 14 kidnapped hostages.

Troops recovered 55 AK47 rifles, 14 locally fabricated guns, 7 Dane guns, 1,123 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, and 411 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, amongst other items.

The director noted that troops of Operation DELTA SAFE maintained momentum against the activities of crude oil theft.

According to him, troops destroyed several illegal refining sites and recovered stolen products.

He said that “overall, troops of Operation DELTA SAFE recovered 2,947,770 litres of stolen crude oil, 251,800 litres of illegally refined AGO, 6,125 litres of DPK, and 6,790 litres of PMS.”

Additionally, troops discovered and destroyed 134 dugout pits, 79 boats, and 116 storage tanks.

Other items recovered include 149 cooking ovens, and 74 illegal refining sites, among others.

The media director said that “troops of Operation UDO KA neutralised 39 insurgents and arrested 10 violent extremists in the southeast of the country.”

According to him, troops recovered 17 pump action guns, 236 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 371 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 180 rounds of 5.5mm ammo, and 206 cartridges, amongst other items.

All recovered items, arrested suspects, and rescued hostages were handed over to the relevant authority for further action.

The time is ripe for patriotic and well-meaning citizens to contribute alternative ideas on ways to make a difference in turning the situation around, he added.

Meanwhile, collaborative effort is essential at this time—one people, one nation, and one destiny.