The Nigerian Military has neutralized 151 terrorists, arrested 456 terrorists and arrested 45 perpetrators of oil theft.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba made this known when briefing journalists on Joint Task Force Operational Activities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the past week in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
General Buba said that “troops also rescued 76 kidnapped hostages and denied oil theft of the sum of One Billion, Eleven Million Eight Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Naira (N1,011,851,250) only”.
Furthermore, troops recovered 216 assorted weapons and 443 assorted ammunition.
According to him, the breakdown as follows: 62 AK47 rifles, 7 pump action guns, 19dane guns, 3 Berretta pistol, 10 locally fabricated rifles, 5 locally made pistols, 399 IED detonator primers, 225 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 10 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 13 round of 9mm ammo, 20 rounds of 7.62mm x 54mm, 57 cartridges, 49 magazines, 21 vehicles, 4 motorcycles, one tricycle, 3 mobile phones and the sum of N3,194,450.00.
Similarly, the operational activities of troops in Operation HADARIN DAJI and Operation WHIRL PUNCH have made a significant impact on curtailed banditry and insurgency in the North West and North Central Regions of the Country.
Additionally, the criminalities perpetrated in the Southeast region by the Indigenous People of Biafra and Eastern Security Network are being brought to the barest minimum through the activities of troops of Operation UDO KA, in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders.
He noted that troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 21 dugout pits, 56 boats, 138 storage tanks, 235 cooking ovens, 6 pumping machines, one outboard engine, 2 speedboats, 89 illegal refining sites and the sum of N13,950.
Troops recovered about 1,205,950 litres of stolen crude oil, 452,910 litres of illegally refined AGO, 22,650 litres of PMS and 3,000 liters of DPK, he added.
“The upsurge in anti-illegal oil bunkering operations by troops of Operation DELTA SAFE in the South-South Region has yielded desirable outcomes adding that this is indicative by the appreciable improvement in the country’s daily crude production”, he said.
Interestingly, the perpetrators of the terrorist and insurgency activities are using it as a guide for their personal gain through illegal mining and other unlawful activities. For instance, the foot soldiers carry illegal mining from mining pits, while their sponsors are in the cities and towns, moving around as normal citizens to dispose of the proceeds.
According to him, the situation underscores the importance of ongoing military operations which is critical to the nation’s effort to achieve peace and security.
Meanwhile, the military is up to the challenge and more than ever before, the outcome is not in doubt.
One minute of silence was observed for the officers who lost their lives at the cost of defending the nation.
Dominica Nwabufo
