213 terrorists neutralised, 283 arrested in one week by troops – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters, on Thursday, said troops have neutralised no fewer than 213 terrorists and arrested 283 others in different theatres of operation across the country in the last one week.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this while giving an update on the operations of the armed forces in Abuja.

According to Buba, the troops within the period also apprehended 67 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 26 kidnapped hostages.

He said that they also recovered 189 assorted weapons and 4,003 assorted ammunition, comprising 111 AK47 rifles, a G3 rifle, 31 locally fabricated guns, five pump action guns, automatic pump action guns, 26 Dane guns, among others.

Buba said that other weapons recovered included 2,766 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 982 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 240 live cartridges, 2 shortgun cartridges, 13 rounds of 9mm ammo, and 36 empty cases of 7.62mm ammo.

Other items, according to the defencespokesman, are 38 magazines, three G3 magazines, eight vehicles, 44 motorcycles, 19 mobile phones, four bicycles, a rifle butt, a rifle stock, and the sum of N628,000, amongst other items.

In the North East, Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai eliminated 70 terrorists and arrested 23 BH/ISWAP terrorists, as well as recovered one G3 rifle, 50 AK47 rifles, 1,012 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 243 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 13 motorcycles, 10 bicycles, amongst others.

According to him, a total of 472 ISWAP/JAS terrorist fighters and their families, comprising 26 adult males, 146 adult females, and 300 children, surrendered to troops within the theatre of operations.

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The air component, Buba further stated, conducted air neutralisation of several ISWAP/JAS terrorists and destroyed their logistics within the Southern Tumbuns.

In the North Central, Buba said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke neutralised nine insurgents and arrested 18 violent extremists within the week, adding that the troops also recovered several arms, ammunition, and other items.

In the North West, he said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji neutralised 26 terrorists and rescued 15 kidnapped hostages during the week.

He said the air component had, on March 5, knocked out terrorists’ commanders and their foot soldiers hibernating in Southern Tsaskiya, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Battle Damage Assessment revealed that several terrorists were neutralised and their structures destroyed, he said.

“Similarly, on March 6, following credible intelligence and confirmatory ISR, the air component in multiple passes conducted air interdiction at terrorists’ commanders Alhaji Nashama’s and Jammo Smally’s enclaves in Birnin Magaji and Maradun Local Government Areas of Zamfara.

“The locations were thoroughly scanned and observed to be active with terrorists’ activities and attacked with rockets and cannons.

“Battle Damage Assessment revealed that several terrorists were neutralised and their structures destroyed,” Buba said.

He added that troops of Operation Whirl Punch neutralised 17 insurgents, arrested 42 violent extremists/terrorists and rescued nine kidnapped hostages.

He said the Air component also conducted air interdiction at terrorists’ commander Alhaji Labi’s enclave in Gaude Forest, Kaduna State, following a confirmatory ISR on the resurgence of terrorists at the location.

He said the crew acquired and attacked the location with stores on board, killing several terrorists and destroying their logistics.

In the South-South, Buba disclosed that the troops of Operation Delta Safe, discovered and destroyed 45 illegal refining sites with 150 dugout pits, 30 boats, 73 storage tanks, 209 drums, and 15 vehicles.

Other items recovered, according to him, include 105 cooking ovens, three pumping machines, two outboard engines, one tricycle, and four motorcycles.

He added that the troops recovered 1.2 million litres of stolen crude oil, 313,780 litres of illegally refined AGO, and 13,000 litres of PMS during the week.

Also in the South East, Buba said the troops of Operation UDO KA neutralised 26 terrorists and recovered three G3 rifles, 12 AK47 rifles, one fabricated gun, two pump action guns, automatic pump action guns, RPG bombs, and 269 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo.

Other items recovered are 216 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 172 live cartridges, eight IEDs (OGBUNIGWE), four AK47 magazines, three G3 magazines, and three motorcycles, among others.

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

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