The Defence Headquarters says on Thursday that troops continues to have upper hand in the ongoing counter insurgency war in the country and eliminated a total of 135 terrorists, arrested 182 persons and rescued 140 kidnapped hostages in ground and air operations within the past one week.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja that gave details of the operations of the Armed Forces across the country.
He said that on the ground, troops continue to demonstrate stamina, resolve, strong desire to remain focused and stay the course in order to completely annihilate the terrorist.
During the week under review, he added, troops apprehended 15 perpetrators of oil theft and denied the oil theft of an estimated sum of Seven Hundred and Thirty One Million Four Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Two Naira (N731,448,262.00) only worth of crude oil.
Furthermore, troops recovered 97 assorted weapons and 3,117 assorted ammunition. The breakdown as follows: 47 AK47 rifles, one PKM MG, one FN rifle, 17 locally fabricated gun, 21 dane guns, 9 pump action guns, 3 locally fabricated pistols, 3 x 36 hand grenade and one IED.
Others are: 1,087 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 840 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 402 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 88 rounds of 5.56mm, 33 rounds of 9mm x 99mm ball ammo, 90 live cartridges, 29 magazines, 15 vehicles, 21 motorcycles, 6 bicycles, 43 mobile phones and the sum of N2,024,210.00 amongst other items.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 11 dugout pits, 29 boats, 24 drums, 4 receiver, 7 reservoirs and 41 storage tanks. Other items recovered include 115 cooking ovens, 2 generators, 13 vehicles, 3 pumping machines and 40 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 588,400 litres of stolen crude oil and 238,686 litres of illegally refined AGO.
Giving details of each Theatre operations the director stated that activities of troops of Operation HADIN KAI including fighting patrol led to the surrendering of BH/ISWAP/JAS terrorists fighters and families, the arrest of suspected BH/ISWAP terrorists collaborators, and recovery of arms and ammo in Gwoza, Mafa, Biu, Kaga, Damboa, Kukawa, Bama, Kukawa and Dikwa LGAs of Borno State as well as Geidam LGA of Yobe State respectively.
He also stated that the air component of Operation HADIN KAI on 3 May 2024, conducted air interdiction at terrorists assembling location in Mandara mountain area as the terrorists were converging with their equipment for possible attack on troops and locals.
According to the statement, feedback on Battle Damage Assessment revealed that several terrorists were neutralized and their logistics and structures destroyed.
Overall, troops of Operation HADIN KAI operating in the North East neutralized 47 terrorists, arrested 53 suspects and rescued 40 kidnappers hostages.
Troops recovered 23 AK47 rifles, one PKM MG, 3 fabricated rifles, 10 dane guns, 2 x 36 hand grenade, 474 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 253 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 402 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 88 rounds 5.56mm ammo, 4 magazines, one baofeng radio, 9 motorcycles, 2 bicycles, 16 mobile phones and the sum of N771,060.00 amongst others.
Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN in North Central during the period under review; arrested suspected violent extremists/terrorists and rescued rescued kidnapped hostages in Barkin Ladi, Jos South, Shendam, Bassa, Bokkos and Mangu LGAs of Plateau State.
They neutralized 16 insurgents, arrested 32 violent extremists and rescued 27 kidnapped hostages. Troops also recovered 2 AK47 rifles, 3 dane guns, 47 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 110 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, one motorcycle and 3 mobile phones amongst others.
While, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE (North Central), neutralized 13 terrorists, arrested 26 violent extremists and rescued 15 kidnapped hostages.
Troops recovered 8 AK47 rifles, one FN rifle, 3 dane guns, one pistol, one magazine, 230 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 237 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 33 rounds of 9mm x 19mm ball para ammo, 19 magazines, 16 mobile phones and the sum of the N1,203,150.00 only amongst others.
The troops of Operation WHIRL PUNCH in North West conducted fighting patrols in Kaura LGA of Kaduna State.
On 30 April and 2 May 2024, troops in separate operations responded to distress call on activities of violent extremists who were to attack locals in Kaura LGA of Kaduna State. During the operation, troops made contact with violent extremists.
Troops exploited the general area and recovered 10 fabricated rifles, 128 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo and 50 live cartridges.
On 5 May 2024, troops responded to information on movement of armed violent extremists in Kachia LGA of Kaduna State. Following the trail, troops recovered 2 AK47 rifles and 3 magazines abandoned by fleeing violent extremist.
Counter/Anti Kidnapping Criminality Op. On 1 and 6 May 2024, following reports, troops in separate operations conducted counter/anti kidnapping operations in Kachia LGA of Kaduna State as well as Bwari and AMAC FCT Abuja. During the operations, troops rescued 22 kidnapped hostages.
Air Interdiction. on 3 May 2024, following reports and aerial surveillance on migration of sets of terrorists with their equipment to hibernate at a deserted Allawa village and nearby forest in Shiroro LGA of Niger State. The air component of Operation WHIRL PUNCH conducted pre-emptive air strikes to destroy terrorist at the location. . Battle Damage Assessment revealed that several terrorists were eliminated with their equipments destroyed.
Overall, troops of Operation WHIRL PUNCH neutralized 9 terrorists, arrested 21 suspects and rescued 30 kidnapped hostages. Troops recovered 2 AK47 rifles, 10 fabricated rifles, 128 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 50 live cartridges and 3 magazines amonsgt others, according to Maj.Gen. Buba.
While, troops of Operation DELTA SAFE who are fighting economic saboteurs recovered 1,019,900 litres of stolen crude oil and 276,536 litres of illegally refined AGO. Additionally, Troops discovered and destroyed 20 dugout pits, 45 boats, 24 drums, 4 receiver, 7 reservoirs and 107 storage tanks. Other items recovered include 176 cooking ovens, 4 generators, 3 wheelbarrows, 20 vehicles, 4 pumping machines and 70 illegal refining sites.
Troops neutralized 2 extremists, apprehended 18 suspected oil thefts and other violent extremists. Troops recovered 14 weapons and 250 assorted ammunitions.
Troops of Operation UDO KA in the South East recorded the following during the week under review; arrested suspected violent extremists in Enugu South and Orsu LGAs of Enugu and Imo States respectively.
A summary of troops of Operation UDO KA showed that they neutralized 23 terrorists, arrested 31 violent extremists and rescued 13 kidnapped hostages. Troops also recovered 3 AK47 rifles, 9 pump action guns, one locally made pistol, 101 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 7 rounds of 9mm ammo, 32 live cartridges, 2 IEDs and CCTV cameras amongst other.
In the South West on 30 April 2024, troops while on patrol intercepted a vehicle loaded with 240 rolls of desert camouflage uniform and arrested 2 suspect in Moro LGA of Kwara State. Preliminary investigation revealed that the uniform was loaded from Lagos and heading to Gonin Gora Kaduna State.
The zone which has been relatively peaceful compared with other five zones however a rusty AK47 rifle was discovered on a farm land by a farmer in Remo North LGA of Ogun State on 29 April indicating the presence of terrorists moving South ward.
The director said that troops in the zone have been conducting fighting patrols, on 30 April 2024, troops with hybrid forces responded to information on kidnap incident in Ifelodun LGA of Kwara State. During the operation, troops rescued one kidnapped hostage and recovered 13 rounds of 7.62 mm Special ammo with 8 empty cases.
The military will continue to defeat the terrorist and their cohorts in ongoing counter terrorist and insurgency operations across the country, Maj.Gen. Buba assured.