The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced that troops of the Nigerian Army neutralized 109 terrorists, arrested 81 suspects, and rescued 43 hostages across various regions of the country within a week,Thecable reports.
In a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, detailed the military’s achievements, which also included the arrest of six alleged oil thieves, preventing losses estimated at ₦618.7 million.
Buba revealed that the troops recovered 21 weapons and 124 rounds of ammunition, including nine AK-47 rifles, five fabricated rifles, four dane guns, and locally made pistols. Additional recovered items included seven magazines, 97 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 22 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, five live cartridges, three Baofeng radios, four vehicles, six motorcycles, and four mobile phones.
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Breakdown of Operations
Under Operation Hadin Kai, troops eliminated 64 terrorists, arrested 28 suspects, and rescued 14 kidnap victims. Similarly, troops under Operation FANSAN YAMMA neutralized 21 terrorists, detained 24 suspects, and freed five hostages.
“On January 3, 2025, the air component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA conducted an air interdiction at Alawa Forest in Shiroro LGA, Niger State, as part of its ongoing offensive operations,” the statement read. “Battle Damage Assessment confirmed that several terrorists were neutralized, and their structures and logistics destroyed.”
Operations in the Niger Delta
In the Niger Delta, troops uncovered and destroyed 10 crude oil cooking ovens, 10 dugout pits, 12 boats, four storage tanks, and 10 illegal refining sites.
Recovered items included three pumping machines, 12 speedboats, 20 drums, two motorcycles, one mobile phone, and four vehicles. Troops also seized 631,709 liters of stolen crude oil, 3,140 liters of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and 2,250 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Sustained Efforts
Buba assured Nigerians that the armed forces are maintaining momentum in their operations.
“Troops are sustaining the winning ways of ongoing operational engagements,” he said. “Citizens will continue to witness the incremental effectiveness and efficiency of the armed forces.
