Troops neutralized a total of 148 terrorists in several encounters across the country this week when Nigerians are celebrating Christmas with the rest of the World .
The Defence Headquarters said two significant arrests were made when troops intercepted and apprehended two ammunition couriers identified as Danweri and Abubakar Hamza.
Duo , renowned terrorists collaborators were apprehended in Alkaleri LGA of Bauchi State.They are cooperating with troops, the Director , Defence Media Operation., Major General Edward Buba disclosed in a statement.
The Director said that the armed forces through its operations is turning the tide against terrorist and violent extremist across the country as the support base of these groups are equally being dislocated in the ongoing operations.
“Significantly, during the week troops in the North Central theatre of operation intercepted and apprehended 2 ammunition couriers that collaborate with the terrorist. The arrested persons identified as Danweri and Abubakar Hamza were apprehended in Alkaleri LGA of Bauchi State and cooperating with troops,” he stated .
According to the Director, during the week under review, troops also arrested 258 persons and arrested 51 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 291 kidnapped hostages.
In the South South Zone, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of Seven Hundred and Ninety Eight Million One Hundred and Forty Six Thousand Four Hundred and Seventy Naira (N798,146,470.00) only.
“Furthermore, troops recovered 146 assorted weapons and 2,599 assorted ammunition.The breakdown as follows: 2 PKT guns, 72 AK47 rifles, 33 fabricated rifles, 28 dane guns, 2 locally made SMG, 3 locally made pistols, 2 pump action guns, one RPG bomb, one RPG tube, 39 magazines.
“Others are: 1,596 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 636 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 111 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammo, 114 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 25 rounds of 9mm ammo, 98 live cartridges, 3 baofeng radios, 3 vehicles, 36 motorcycles, 40 mobile phones and the sum of N1,838,000.00 amongst other items.
While troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 68 crude oil cooking ovens, 13 dugout pits, 41 boats, 45 storage tanks and 66 illegal refining sites. Other items recovered include 4 speedboats, one pumping machine, 150 drums, one generator, 2 motorcycles, 2 mobile phones, one drone and 5 vehicles among others.
Equally, in same vein troops recovered 657,470 litres of stolen crude oil, 127,870 litres of illegally refined AGO and 5,000 litres of DPK.
He said that overall, troops remain focussed on destroying both terrorists military capability as well as their will to fight even as violent extremist across the country.”Troops are in a good position and winning the war,” he declared.