The Nigerian military has dealt a significant blow to terrorist networks and criminal syndicates across the country, neutralizing dozens of insurgents, apprehending 62 suspects, and liberating 30 kidnapped victims in a series of coordinated operations over the past week, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) announced on Thursday.
The sweeping actions, spanning the North-East, North-West, and South-South regions, underscore the armed forces' renewed offensive against Boko Haram, ISWAP, bandits, and oil thieves, amid ongoing security challenges that have claimed hundreds of lives this year.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, hailed the troops' "relentless determination" under Operations Hadin Kai, Hadarin Daji, and Delta Safe.
"Our gallant men and women have dismantled terror hideouts, intercepted illicit arms shipments, and freed innocents from the clutches of violence," Kangye stated, adding that the operations yielded a trove of recovered weaponry, including 18 AK-47 rifles, two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), 450 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and several improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
"These successes deny the enemies the capacity to regroup and strike."In the volatile North-East theatre, troops of Operation Hadin Kai clashed with Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters in Borno State's Mafa, Dikwa, Gwoza, and Damboa Local Government Areas.
Fierce firefights resulted in the neutralization of at least 25 terrorists, with five high-value targets confirmed eliminated via drone surveillance and ground assaults.
"We exploited intelligence leads to raid a suspected bomb-making factory in Konduga, seizing explosives and detonators that could have fueled suicide attacks," Kangye detailed.
The operations also led to the arrest of 12 suspected collaborators, including a logistics supplier in Yobe State, and the rescue of 12 hostages among them women and children held for over six months.
Recovered items included motorcycles used for hit-and-run raids and N2.5 million in cash believed to fund insurgent activities.
Further north, in the bandit-plagued North-West, Operation Hadarin Daji intensified patrols in Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto states.
Troops ambushed a bandit convoy in Tsafe Local Government Area, neutralizing 15 gunmen and capturing 28 suspects, including a notorious kidnap kingpin identified as Malam Yusufu.
"The raid freed 10 victims, including schoolchildren abducted en route to a farm settlement," Kangye said. In a related breakthrough, intelligence-driven arrests in Niger and Kaduna nabbed 22 more suspects linked to arms trafficking, with seizures of 10 locally fabricated pistols and 200 rounds of ammunition.
The DHQ noted that these efforts disrupted planned abductions targeting rural communities, where banditry has displaced over 50,000 residents since January.
In the oil-rich South-South, Operation Delta Safe targeted economic sabotage, dismantling 12 illegal refining sites in Delta and Rivers states and recovering 45,000 litres of stolen crude worth N45 million.
Troops neutralized four armed vandals during a midnight raid on a pipeline in Bayelsa, arresting 10 accomplices and rescuing eight kidnapped oil workers held for ransom.
"This not only starves criminals of revenue but protects our national heritage," Kangye emphasized, highlighting the broader economic impact of curbing oil theft, which siphons billions annually from Nigeria's coffers.
The week's tally brings the military's 2025 operational totals to over 1,200 terrorists neutralized, 2,500 arrests, and 800 rescues, per DHQ figures – a 25% uptick from the previous quarter.
Yet, challenges persist: Just last weekend, a Boko Haram IED ambush in Bama killed two soldiers, prompting vows of escalated aerial support from the Nigerian Air Force.
Human rights advocates, including Amnesty International, welcomed the rescues but urged probes into reports of civilian casualties during raids, calling for "precision strikes to minimize collateral damage."
President Bola Tinubu, in a statement lauding the troops, reiterated his administration's commitment to "total victory over insecurity."
"These heroes are restoring hope to our people," he said, announcing bonuses for frontline units and plans for community-based intelligence networks.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com