Nigerian soldiers kill 159 terrorists, rescue 188 victims in one week

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Friday said that troops eliminated 159 terrorists and apprehended 174 others in the last week.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, made this known in an update on the operations of the armed forces in Abuja.

Mr Buba, a major general, said the troops also rescued 188 kidnapped hostages, apprehended 45 oil thieves and recovered 151 assorted weapons and 12,401 assorted ammunition within the period.

He said that the armed forces had taken resolute steps towards ending terrorism and insecurity in the country, through ongoing operations.

According to him, the operations are yielding the desired results as troops dismantle terrorist networks and decimate their leadership and combatants, with several of the terrorist leaders and commanders eliminated from the battlefield.

“Furthermore, troops are strategically deployed to ensure that the off-cycle governorship election scheduled for 21 September in Edo is violence-free, fair and credible.

“Troops’ role is to support the police to ensure voters safety and security to thwart the activities of those elements bent on fomenting crisis during the elections.

“Our operations against the terrorist and violent extremists remain aimed at providing security and stability for the nation and citizens.

“Troops will, therefore, continue to be relentless in pursuit of ending all forms of insecurity across the country,” he said.

In the North-east, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai killed 46 terrorists, apprehended 41 suspects, rescued 48 kidnapped hostages, and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition.

He said that a total of 76 terrorists, comprising nine adult males, 28 adult females and 39 children surrendered to troops within the theatre between 11 September and 17 September.

He added that the air component of Operation Hadin Kai conducted air interdiction on a suspected ISWAP/JAS terrorists’ enclave in Southern Tumbun of Borno, killing several terrorists and destroying their logistics.

In the North-central, Mr Buba said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke killed 15 violent extremists, arrested 18 violent extremists and rescued 64 kidnapped hostages with the recovery of several caches of arms.

In the North-west, he said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji killed 73 terrorists, nabbed 23 terrorists and rescued 54 kidnapped hostages, as well as recovered a large cache of arms.

Mr Buba added that the air component conducted air interdictions on terrorist kingpin Gambo’s enclave in Gusau Local Government Area and Bello Turji’s hideout in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara within the week.

He added that several terrorists were killed and their structures as well as logistics destroyed.

He said that troops of Operation Whirl Punch killed 15 terrorists, arrested 27 suspects, rescued six kidnapped hostages and recovered a large cache of arms.

In the Niger Delta, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Delta Safe discovered and destroyed 71 illegal refining sites with nine dugout pits, 35 boats, four speedboats, 32 drums and 57 storage tanks within the week.

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He added that the troops also recovered 788,400 litres of stolen crude oil, 28,995 litres of illegally refined diesel, 300 litres of kerosene and 3,000 litres of petrol as well as 20 cooking ovens, one pumping machine, 14 vehicles, one motorcycle, one tricycle and 10 mobile phones.

According to him, troops killed two extremists, apprehended 41 suspected oil thieves and other violent extremists and recovered two magazines, six assorted arms and 189 assorted ammunition.

In the South-east, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation UDO KA killed eight extremists, nabbed 12 violent extremists, rescued 14 kidnapped hostages and recovered arms and four vehicles.

“All recovered items, arrested suspects and rescued hostages were handed over to the relevant authority for further action,” he said.

(NAN)