DHQ assures on sustaining offensive against terrorists, criminal elements as troops eliminate 1,910 ISWAP/Boko Haram fighters, rescues 729 kidnapped victims

The Nigerian military has assured that it will continue to sustain the offensive against terrorists across the country.

The military high command added that it will not relent until peace is restored to all the nook and cranny currently experiencing threats to security in the country.

“We will continue to sustain the offensive and will not relent until peace is restored to every troubled zone in Nigeria”. The defence authorities have restated.

Spokesman of military authorities, Major General Benard Onyeuko made this disclosure in Abuja on Thursday, during a press briefing by the Directorate of Defence Media Operations on Armed Forces of Nigeria’s Military Operations

Major General Benard Onyeuko noted that the DDMO worked hard to meet its mandate of managing and disseminating credible information on military operations from the theatres of operation across the country.

He said however, “we deem it necessary to jog memories on our achievements through the unrelenting and committed efforts of the Nigerian military and other security agencies in tackling the security challenges across the country in the past year”.

According to Onyeuko, a total of 1,910 terrorists, bandits, robbers were neutralized by the Nigerian military in different theatre of operations across the country. Similarly, a total of 729 victims of kidnappers were rescued by the military if different parts of the country.

Hear him: “In summary, the Armed Forces of Nigeria from 20 May 2021 to 6 January 2022 neutralized 1,910 criminal elements including terrorists, armed bandits and robbers as well as kidnappers across the country.”

He said that within the timeframe in focus, the troops conducted series of land, maritime and air operations in the various theatres, involving both kinetic and non-kinetic activities across the country in major and subsidiary operations.

“Our gallant troops in the frontlines executed these operations with utmost zest that resulted in the incapacitation of terrorists’ fighting capability and neutralization of scores of terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements, including high profile ones, who were either neutralized in action or arrested”. Onyeuko said.

He added “Furthermore, large numbers of terrorists have continued to surrender due to troops’ overwhelming superior combat power and intelligence activities.

Also, troops rescued kidnapped civilians as well as repelled and forestalled criminal elements’ attacks on civilians and troops”.

Onyeuko gave the breakdown of achievements within the periods in focus as follows:

Under OPERATION HADIN KAI troops operational activities resulted in the neutralization of 950 terrorists including their high profile commanders and Amirs.

Cosequently, a total of 79 terrorists were arrested and 113 kidnapped civilians were rescued by the troops.

By the same token, a total of 195 assorted arms including AK-47 rifles, GPMGs, PKT guns and locally fabricated guns were recovered from terrorist elements in the course of the operations.

“In addition, a total of 2,385 rounds of different calibres of ammunition and 253 rustled livestock were recovered, while a total of 14 gun trucks of the terrorists were destroyed in the course of the operations, while 16 gun trucks were captured by own troops within the period.

Furthermore, a total of 24,059 terrorists and their families comprising 5,326 adult males, 7,550 adult females and 11,183 children have so far surrendered to own troops in the North East. All surrendered elements have been properly profiled and handed over to appropriate authorities for necessary actions”.

“In Operation HADARIN DAJI, the operational efforts of our gallant troops yielded appreciable results between 20 May 2021 and 6 January 2022. A total of 537 armed bandits and other criminal elements were neutralized in action by own troops,   while 374 criminal elements including armed bandits and their collaborators as well as armed herdsman and robbers were arrested.

“Furthermore, 227 assorted arms, including  AK-47 rifles, PKT machine guns and GPMGs as well as 4,443 rounds of different calibres of ammunition      and 3,250 rustled livestock among other items and vehicles were recovered within the period.

“Similarly, a total of 238 motorcycles and 118 extra rifle magazines were recovered, while 452 kidnapped civilians were rescued by own troops in the course of the operations.

“This is in addition to several other feats recorded during air offensives executed on bandits’ enclaves by the air component.

“Recent among prominent air offensives were concurrent air strikes executed on bandits’ enclaves at Gusami Forest and West Tsamre village in Birnin Magaji LGA of Zamfara State, which led to the neutralization of scores of armed bandits.

“The feats were recorded in the early hours of 3 January 2022 on the heels of credible intelligence, which revealed the locations of 2 key bandits’ leaders, the notorious Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga.

“Consequently, a force package of NAF platforms were dispatched to takeout the enclaves, which resulted in the neutralization of the leaders as well as their cohorts. In addition, several other armed bandits fleeing from the hit of the air strikes, were killed during follow up strikes. No fewer  than 100 armed bandits were neutralized in the encounter”.

​Onyeuko noted that “Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN within the period recorded attendant successes in their kinetic operations within the North Central Zone. Some of the operations led to the arrest of a total of 1,771 criminal elements including armed bandits, armed herdsmen and livestock rustlers; while 109 armed bandits and other criminal elements were neutralized in action. Also, in the course of the operations, a total of 75 kidnapped civilians were rescued, while 1,306 livestock, 108 assorted arms including AK-47 rifles and locally produced guns as well as 493 rounds of different calibres of ammunition among other items were recovered in the course of the operations.

“Moreover, troops carried out various non-kinetic activities in different locations of the theatre to contain security challenges in its area of responsibility. Some of these include; organized peace and security meetings with critical security stakeholders to discuss and proffer actionable solutions to security concerns as well as organized sporting activities for youths, in other to dissuade them from criminal activities, with consolation prizes”.

According to the spokesman, “Between 20 May 2021 and 6 January 2022, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE operational activities cumulatively resulted in the neutralization of a total of 168 criminal elements, while 127 of them, including migrant armed bandits were arrested.

“Also, 118 different types of arms and 381 different calibres of ammunitions as well as 391 livestock were recovered, while 33 kidnapped civilians were rescued within the period under review.

“In addition, Operation WHIRL STROKE within the period, held peace and security meetings with community and youth leaders as well as other security agencies and other critical stakeholders as non-kinetic means of tackling insecurity challenges in the its area of responsibility. These meetings were geared towards finding lasting solutions to the security challenges in the North Central Zone”.

He said “Within the Operation THUNDER STRKE/WHIRL PUNCH theatre, own troops in the period under review, engaged in various kinetic operations which cumulatively resulted in the neutralization of 44 and arrest of 46 criminal elements.

“Troops operations also led to the recovery of 59 assorted arms, 12 extra AK-47 rifles magazines, 113 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and 16 motorcycles among other items in the course of the operations. Additionally, a total of 14 kidnapped civilians were rescued and reunited with their families within the period under review”.

​With respect to Operation DELTA SAFE, Onyeuko stated “troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria working in conjunction with other Security Agencies recorded remarkable results in their efforts against economic sabotage and other sundry crimes in the South-South Zone.

“Within the period under review, troops discovered and immobilized a cumulative total of 145 illegal refining sites, 209 ovens, 122 cooking pots/boilers, 161 cooling systems, 224 reservoirs, 160 large dugout pits and 367 storage tanks in the Niger Delta Region.

“Consequently, a total of Twelve million, eight hundred and fourty-six thousand, three hundred (12,846,300) litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil as well as 29,237 barrels and six million, four hundred and nighty-one thousand (6,491,000) litres of stolen crude oil were recovered within the period. Similarly, a total of Three million, nine hundred and sixty-nine thousand (3,969,000) litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene; Ten million, two hundred thousand, five hundred (10,200,500) litres of illegally refined Premium Motor Spirit were recovered by troops of Operation DELTA SAFE. Additionally, troops recovered 33 assorted arms; 5,268 rounds of different calibres of ammunition and 21 AK-47 rifle magazines, while 3,110 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled smuggled rice, 662 pieces of galvanized pipes, 32 tanker trucks and 119 wooden boats used for illegal oil bunkering activities were impounded and handled appropriately in the course of the operations.

“Also, a total of 41 kidnapped victims were rescued, while 77 criminal elements associated with pipeline vandalism, piracy, illegal oil bunkering and armed robbery were arrested within the period. All the arrested criminals and recovered items have been handed over to relevant security agencies for further action”.

On Operation AWATSE, he said:

“The troops of Operation AWATSE in the fight against pipeline vandals and economic saboteurs in the South-West Zone successfully forestalled criminal activities within the period under review.

“In the course of the operations, troops impounded a total of 1,458,600 litres of illegally refined Premium Motor Spirit; 9,345 barrels of stolen crude oil and 355,000 litres illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil. Additionally, troops recovered a total of 1,594 rounds of ammunition and 14 assorted rifles.

“Also, within the period, a total of 15 illegal refining sites were immobilized,    while 12 boats and 13 trucks engaged in illegal activities were arrested. In the same vein, within the period 15 kidnapped civilians were rescued, while 28 criminal elements were arrested”