The Defence Headquarters said on Friday that 181 terrorists were neutralised and 203 others arrested across the country this week just as intense fighting aided by dry season.
rages on in the North West zone
Director of Defence Media Operations Major General Edward Buba disclosed these in a statement. He said troops continued their onslaught and aggression against terrorist across the various theatres of operation in the country.
“Fighting was intense in the NW theatre with dry season operations fully on course”.
He said additionally, several notorious kidnappers and a notorious gun runners identified as Mohammed Musa (aka Mamman) was arrested in Plateau State,among others. While all efforts aimed at degrading terrorist wherever they are hibernating or hiding are on.
During the week under review, troops also arrested 50 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 161 kidnapped hostages.
In the South South Zone troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of Seven Hundred and Twenty Eight Million Two Hundred and Ninety Seven Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Naira (N728,297,650.00) only.
“Furthermore, troops recovered 228 assorted weapons and 6,749 assorted ammunition with the breakdown as follows: 4 GPMGs, 3 G3 rifles, 85 AK47 rifles, 38 fabricated rifles, 36 dane guns, 12 FN rifles, 3 fabricated revolver pistol, 24 locally made pistols, 16 pump action guns, 2 single barrel guns, one berretta pistol, 4 hand grenades, 3 IEDs and 63 magazines.
“Others are: 2,891 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,354 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 586 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammo, 821 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 12 rounds of 5.56mm ammo, 409 rounds of 7.62mm PKT ammo, 32 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm PKT ammo, 21 rounds of 9mm ammo, 618 live cartridges, 1,146 assorted empty cases of ammo, 3 bandoliers, 4 baofeng radios, 15 vehicles, 33 motorcycles, 42 mobile phones and the sum of N577,800.00 only amongst other items.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 25 crude oil cooking ovens, 10 dugout pits, 38 boats, 44 storage tanks and 47 illegal refining sites. Other items recovered include 6 speedboats, 3 receivers, 48 drums, 3 motorcycles, one mobile phone and 12 vehicles among others. Troops recovered 765,680 litres of stolen crude oil and 86,725 litres of illegally refined AGO. “
He assured that troops will continue to act with tremendous force to ensure the terrorist and their cohorts are completely destroyed. Troops will also continue to create an atmosphere in which citizens live in peace and are safe from acts of terror.