The Nigerian military in January sustained the tempo in defeating terrorists and their cohorts in ongoing counter-terrorist and insurgency operations across the country as troops neutralised 358 terrorists and arrested 431 suspected terrorists. Troops also apprehended 59 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 249 kidnapped hostages.
Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba disclosed this to newsmen in a press statement signed on Friday in Abuja
General Buba noted that in January alone, troops in the South-South region denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of over #2 bn (N2,699,660,460.00). Breakdown includes: 2,732,038 litres of stolen crude oil, 42,515 litres of illegally refined AGO, 200 litres of DPK and 2,250 litres of PMS amongst other items.
He added that troops recovered 370 weapons and 4,972 ammunition, including, but not limited to, the following: 105 AK47 rifles, 25 locally fabricated guns, 32 Dane guns, 23 pump-action guns, 3,066 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 758 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 980 cartridges, 72 assorted arms, and 500 assorted ammunition.
General Buba gave a breakdown of all the six geopolitical zones:
In the North East, troops of Operations HADIN KAI neutralized 193 terrorists, arrested 89 suspects and rescued 39 kidnapped hostages. Additionally, troops recorded 95 surrendered BH/ISWAP terrorists combatants and their families.
In the North West, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA neutralized 95 terrorists, arrested 88 suspects and rescued 96 kidnapped hostages. Additionally, troops recovered 43 AK47 rifles, 13 fabricated guns, 15 assorted arms, 1,113 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 143 rounds of 7.62mm NATO and 209 assorted ammunition.
In the North West, troops of Operation WHIRL PUNCH recorded the following in January 2025. Troops neutralized 7 terrorists, arrested 46 suspects and rescued 4 kidnapped hostages. Troops equally recovered 4 AK47 rifles, 2 assorted arms, 362 rounds of 7.62mm special, 401 rounds of 7.62mm NATO and one assorted ammunition.
Also in the North Central, troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN neutralized 18 violent extremists, arrested 131 and rescued 54 kidnap hostages. Troops also recovered 7 AK47 rifles, 16 fabricated guns, 5 assorted arms, 52 rounds of 7.62mm special, 160 rounds of 7.62mm NATO and 24 assorted ammunition.
Troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE in the North Central neutralized 4 terrorists, arrested 18 suspects and rescued 19 kidnapped hostages. Troops also recovered one AK47 rifle, 4 assorted arms, 230 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo and 23 rounds of assorted ammunition.
In the Niger Delta region, troops of Operation DELTA SAFE arrested 59 persons involved in crude oil theft. Troops also denied the oil theft of 2,732,038 litres of crude oil, 42,515 litres of AGO, 200 litres of DPK and 2,250 litres of PMS. Troops of Operation UDO KA conducted offensive operations against IPOB/ESN terror group in several SE states killing terrorists, making arrests and recovering weapons.
In the South East, troops of Operation UDO KA neutralized 41 terrorists, arrested 57 suspects and rescued 37 kidnapped hostages.
The armed forces continue to fight admirably in defeating terrorists and their cohorts across the country. Troops remain focused on creating conditions in which the safety and security of citizens are assured.