Nigeria’s defence spokesman claims troops killed 253 suspected terrorists in seven days

The Defence Headquarters claimed on Friday troops operating in the various theatre commands killed 253 suspected terrorists last week.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

He said the troops arrested 172 suspected terrorists and rescued 206 hostages during the period.

Buba said the troops also apprehended 15 suspected oil thieves and denied then an estimated N1.07 billion in Niger Delta.

According to him, the troops recovered 251 assorted weapons and 4,113 ammunition comprising one GPMG, 118 AK-47 rifles, 54 locally fabricated guns, 47 Dane guns, six pump action guns, four Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), 60mm mortar tubes, two AK butts, MRAP and one bandolier.

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s defence minister claims military killed 9,300 suspected terrorists in one year

Others are – 2,047 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 942 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 98 rounds of 9mm ammo, 342 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 334 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm, 252 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm and 110 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ball.

The spokesman said: “Recovered items also include 299 live cartridges, 32 magazines, two Baofeng radios, 2 KYD radios, eight vehicles, 41 motorcycles, 27 bicycles, 41 mobile phones and the sum of N74.7 million amongst other items.

“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 22 dugout pits, 37 boats, 70 drums, four receivers, four reservoirs and 29 storage tanks.

“Other items include 215 cooking ovens, 13 vehicles, four wheelbarrows, one tricycle, one motorcycle, five mobile phones, one speedboat, two KYD radios, two outboard engines and 75 illegal refining sites.

“Troops also recovered 1.04 millilitres of stolen crude oil and 205,550 litres of illegally refined AGO.”

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