The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has reported significant achievements by troops across various theatres of operation in Nigeria over the past week.
According to Major-General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, a total of 286 terrorists were neutralized, 244 apprehended, and 122 hostages rescued.
In addition to these successes, 83 perpetrators of oil theft were arrested, preventing an estimated sum of N2.5 billion from falling into the hands of oil thieves. The troops also recovered 587 assorted weapons and 7,943 assorted ammunition, including rifles, pistols, guns, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Major-General Buba provided a breakdown of the operations conducted in different regions of the country. In the North East, troops of Operation Hadin Kai eliminated 70 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, while Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke in the North Central neutralized 19 insurgents and rescued 13 kidnapped hostages. In the North West, Operation Hadarin Daji recorded significant successes against terrorists in Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.
Furthermore, troops of Operation Whirl Punch successfully ambushed terrorists in Kaduna state, neutralizing 93 insurgents and rescuing 14 kidnapped hostages. In the Niger Delta region, Operation Safe Haven discovered and destroyed illegal refining sites, recovered stolen crude oil, and seized various equipment used for illegal activities.
In the South East, troops of Operation UDO KA neutralized 39 insurgents, arrested 10 violent extremists, and recovered a significant amount of weapons and ammunition.
The DHQ emphasized that these achievements demonstrate the commitment and effectiveness of Nigerian troops in ongoing counterinsurgency operations across the country. All recovered items, arrested suspects, and rescued hostages have been handed over to the relevant authorities for further action.