Nigeria’s military claims troops killed 86 suspected terrorists, others in one week

The Defence Headquarters claimed on Thursday troops operating in various theatres of operations across the country killed 86 suspected terrorists and other criminals in the last week.

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

He said the troops arrested 101 others and rescued 21 kidnapped persons during the period.

The spokesman the troops also recovered 111 assorted weapons and 1,124 assorted ammunition in the operations.

These, according to him, comprised 65 AK47 rifles, one HK G3 gun, one G3 rifle, eight locally fabricated guns and 15 Dane guns.

READ ALSO: Army chief to Nigerians: Troops will redouble efforts against terrorists, others in 2024

Buba said: “Between January 3 and 9, a total of 111 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists and their families comprising four adult males, 38 adult females and 69 children surrendered to troops within the theatre operations.

“Our operations resulted in 86 neutralized terrorists with 101 of them arrested. Troops also arrested 30 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 21 kidnapped hostages. In the South-South, troops denied oil theft of the estimated sum of N736,115,470.00 only.

“In the North-West, troops of Operations Hadarin Daji and Whirl Punch neutralized 69 terrorists, arrested 25 and rescued 63 hostages within the week.

“The aim of our ongoing operations remains unchanged and clear even in the new year 2024. We aim to find and destroy the terrorist wherever they may be hiding to ensure their enduring defeat. This would deny the terrorist the ability to terrorize or hurt citizens across the country.

“Our operations indicate that we are hunting the terrorist commanders and their senior leadership. Indeed, from their topmost leadership to the lowest commanders are dead men walking and we will stop at nothing until they are dead or surrender.”

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