According to the Defence Headquarters, 99 terrorists were killed by troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces in the last week, while 198 others were apprehended in various operations around Nigeria.
Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, Director, Defence Media activities, stated this while briefing journalists on military activities on Thursday in Abuja.
According to Buba, the military also rescued 139 hostages and recovered 141 miscellaneous weapons and 1,463 assorted ammo across the North East, North Central, and North West theaters of operation.
According to him, the recovered items include a GPMG, a GT3 rifle, an assault weapon, 49 AK47 rifles, a Josef Magnum Pump Action gun, a double barrel gun, and two single barrel guns.
There are also nine locally manufactured pistols, 13 Dane guns, one hand grenade, seven locally manufactured rifles, and two locally manufactured hand grenades.
In the North East, he claimed that on November 17, troops from Operation Hadin Kai detained three suspected terrorist collaborators in Yobe’s Gujba Local Government Area.
He went on to say that the suspects claimed they were forced to go on the mission by terrorist elements.
According to Buba, 108 terrorists and their families, including 13 adult males, 32 adult females, and 63 children, surrendered to troops within the theater of operations between November 17 and November 23.
Within a week, he said, troops neutralized 19 terrorists, detained 21, and rescued eight kidnapped victims across the theater.
Buba stated that in the North Central, Operation Safe Haven forces neutralized three terrorists, captured 32, and freed eight abducted victims, as well as retrieved various types of weaponry and ammunition, among other items.
He stated that troops from Operation Whirl Stroke raided suspected criminal hideouts in Taraba and Benue States’ Takum and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas, respectively, and neutralised two terrorists, arrested nine terrorists, and freed three abducted captives.
He also stated that the troops discovered an AK47 rifle, a magazine, and 27 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, among other items.
The troops of Operation Hadarin Daji neutralised 20 terrorists, captured 20 terrorists, and freed 83 abducted victims in different operations across Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara States, according to a Defence official.
He stated that the operation’s air component conducted air interdiction on a terrorist commanders’ enclave known as Lalbi Nagogo.
According to him, the enclave is in Katsina State’s Danmusa Local Government Area, and the place was hit with rockets and cannons following confirmation that the terrorist and his foot soldiers were present.
“Battle damage assessment revealed several terrorists were neutralised with various structures destroyed,” he told the media.
Buba stated that troops from Operation Whirl Punch conducted battle patrols in Kaduna State’s Chikun Local Government Area and the FCT’s Kuje Area Council.
He stated that throughout the period, troops neutralised 16 terrorists, apprehended 16 suspects, and freed three captives in ambush and offensive operations against the terrorists.
He stated that on November 16, the air component conducted air interdiction against a terrorist leader identified as Boderi in his new enclave in Kaduna State’s Igabi Local Government Area.
He claims that the place was observed to be busy with terrorists and that it was acquired and engaged with rockets and cannons.
According to the battle damage assessment, the terrorist leader’s older brother, Nasiru, as well as numerous of his lieutenants and foot soldiers, were neutralized while their structures were demolished.