Troops Neutralise 213 Terrorists, Apprehend 283 Others – DHQ

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has announced the elimination of 213 terrorists and the arrest of 283 others across various theatres of operation in the country over the past week.

 Naija News reports that the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Edward Buba, detailed these achievements in a statement released in Abuja on Thursday.

The operations also led to the apprehension of 67 individuals involved in oil theft and the rescue of 26 kidnapped victims.

Troops managed to seize 189 assorted weapons and 4,003 rounds of assorted ammunition. Among the captured weaponry were 111 AK-47 rifles, various rifles including G3, 31 locally fabricated guns, five pump-action guns, automatic pump-action guns, and 26 Dane guns.

The ammunition haul included 2,766 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 982 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammo, 240 live cartridges, among others, showcasing the vast array of armaments being used by insurgents and criminal gangs.

In the North East, Operation Hadin Kai’s troops neutralized 70 terrorists, apprehended 23 members of Boko Haram-ISWAP, and recovered significant arms, including 50 AK-47 rifles and over a thousand rounds of ammunition. Additionally, 472 ISWAP/JAS terrorist fighters and their families surrendered to the troops, indicating a considerable blow to the terrorist organizations’ operational capabilities.

The Defence Headquarters also highlighted the effectiveness of the air component in neutralizing several terrorists and destroying their logistics in the Southern Tumbuns, further degrading the terrorists’ ability to operate.

In the North Central region, operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke saw nine insurgents neutralized and 18 arrested, alongside the recovery of arms and ammunition. Meanwhile, in the North West, Operation Hadarin Daji’s troops neutralized 26 terrorists, rescued 15 kidnapped hostages, and successfully targeted terrorists’ commanders in Katsina State.

The South-South and South-East regions also saw significant operations, with troops of Operation Delta Safe discovering and destroying 45 illegal refining sites, and Operation UDO KA neutralizing 26 terrorists and recovering an array of weapons.