The Defence Headquarters said Thursday that a total of 75 terrorists were neutralized at various theatres of war across the country in the last ten days while 138 others were arrested as efforts to bring to an end the 15 years insurgency intensified.
While troops made unusual recovery of 2 calibrated aircraft engines from a longtime unidentified aircraft crashed site, one double barrel cannon gun and 16 missiles were also recovered in the North East.
A new Director of Defence Media Operations, DDMO, Major General Markus Kangye who disclosed this during his medien press briefing said that troops also apprehended 36 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 46 kidnapped hostages
He said that in the South South Zone where the fights are against crude oil thieves and economic saboteurs, troops foiled oil theft estimated to the tune of about Six Hundred and Forty-six Million, One Hundred and Eighty-nine Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety Naira (N646,189,690.00) only.
The breakdown includes: “497,152 litres of stolen crude oil, 142,000 litres of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil, AGO, and 4,075 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, Additionally, troops discovered and destroyed 164 crude oil cooking ovens, 37 dugout pits, 19 boats, 16 storage tanks, 38 drums and 42 illegal refining sites.
“Other items recovered include 3 pumping machines, 4 tricycles, 7 motorcycles, 5 mobile phones and 3 vehicles among others,” he added.
In a related development, troops in the North East,North West and North Central Zones recovered 104 and 2,639 assorted weapons and ammunition respectively.
“These includes, 55 AK47 rifles, 20 locally fabricated guns, 8 dane guns, 18 pump action guns, 1,826 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 376 rounds
of 7.62mm NATO, 366 rounds of 7.62 x 12.7mm ammo, 26 cartridges as well as other 14 assorted arms and 45 assorted ammunition.”
Major General Kangye said that the military during week under review, deployed land component of the Armed Forces and conducted joint operation with the ONSA team, security agencies and hybrid forces.
According to him, “these operations include; fighting and confidence building patrols, raids, ambushes and clearance as well as search and rescue operations.”
He said in the cause of the operations, they neutralized several terrorists, apprehended their collaborators, rescued kidnapped victims and received surrendered terrorists. Gunrunners, oil theft collaborators and other violent extremists were also apprehended.
The air component also, conducted several close air supports, armed reconnaissance patrols as well as air interdiction.
He said that a total of 65 terrorists comprising 12 adult males, 19 adult females and 34 children surrendered to troops of Operation HADIN KAI in the North East between 3 and 13 February .
The Director said that between 5 – 10 February 2025, troops in conjunction with Hybrid Forces, conducted offensive operations including ambushes, fighting patrols and clearance operations in Gwoza, Konduga, Damboa and Mafa LGAs of Borno State.
During the operations, 12 terrorists were neutralized, 3 were apprehended, while 4 kidnapped hostages were rescued. They also recovered 9 Ak47 rifles, one G3
Rifle, 2 dane guns, 102 rounds of 12.7mm ammo, 70 rounds
of 7.62mm Special ammo, 55 rounds of 7.62 mm NATO, one RPG tube 3 RPG bombs and 6 magazines.