Nigerian Armed Forces said on Thursday that it’s maintained high tempo of its ongoing counter insurgency operations across the country through out February
and neutralized a total of 217 terrorists and arrested 528 others.
Troops also arrested 122 crude oil thieves in the South South Zone where fighting is raging against crude oil theft as the federal government strife to meet 2 million crude oil barrels per day projection for 2025 budget.
This is contained in monthly report of Joint Task Force Operational activities for February 2025 released to the media on Thursday night by Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye.
According to the report, troops rescued a total of 320 kidnapped hostages from their captives during the month.
While troops of Operation DELTA SAFE maintained the momentum against the activities of crude oil thieves and continued to find and destroyed illegal refining sites, they also arrest the perpetrators of oil theft.
They denied the oil theft of 1,790,934 litres of crude oil, 402,936 litres of AGO, 600 litres of DPK and 9,175 litres of PMS. Furthermore, troops recovered 28 assorted arms, 548 assorted ammunition and destroyed 114 wooden boats as well as 156 illegal refining sites.
According to the report summary of break down operations show that troops of Operations HADIN KAI neutralized 75 terrorists, arrested 71 suspects and rescued 75 kidnapped hostages. Additionally, troops recorded 152 surrendered BH/ISWAP terrorists’ combatants and their families.
The summary of recovered items includes: 49 AK47 rifles,15 fabricated rifles, 9 dane guns, 4 assorted arms, 1,896 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 227 rounds of 7.62mm NATO and 23 assorted ammunitions.
Troops of Operation FASAN YAMMA during the month of February 2025, neutralized 88 terrorists, arrested 31 suspects and rescued 136 kidnaped hostages. 51 AK47 rifles, 13 fabricated guns, 4 dane guns, 3 assorted arms, 1,410 rounds of 7.62mm special, 194 rounds of 7.62mm NATO and 30 assorted ammunitions.
While, Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL PUNCH in North West in the month of February 2025, neutralized 34 terrorists, arrested 124 suspects and rescued 57 kidnap hostages. They recovered 26 AK47 rifles, 11 dane guns, 13 fabricated rifles 3 assorted arms, 616 rounds of 7.62mm special, 85 rounds of 7.62mm NATO and 25 assorted ammunitions.
Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN in North Central neutralized 12 violent extremists, arrested 130 and rescued 26 kidnap hostages. They also recovered 11 AK47 rifles, 4 fabricated guns, 2 dane guns, 2 assorted arms, 309 rounds of 7.62mm special and 199 assorted ammunitions.
Troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE in North Central neutralized 5 terrorists, arrested 172 suspects and rescued 16 kidnap hostages. Additionally, troops recovered 6 AK47 rifles, 5 fabricated guns, 2 assorted arms and 605 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunitions
Troops of Operation UDO KA conducted offensive operations against IPOB/ESN as well as other criminality activities in the region during the month under review and achieved tremendous successes.
Four terrorists were neutralized, 24 arrested while 10 kidnapped hostages were rescued. They also recovered 3 AK47 rifles, 9 pump action guns 18 assorted arms, 235 live cartridges and 525 assorted ammunition.