The Nigerian troops engaged in various fighting operations against terrorism and criminality in the country have neutralised 187 and arrested 183 persons. The feat was recorded in one week, according to the Defence authorities which briefed journalists on Thursday, in Abuja on the successes of the Armed Forces in the war against terrorists. “During the week under review, troops neutralised 187 and arrested 183 persons. Troops also arrested 26 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 109 kidnapped hostages”, said DHQ.
Addressing the media, the Director of Defence Media Operation (DMO), Major-General Edward Buba stated that, the military is keeping up the pressure through ongoing operations in five actives
theatres across the country.
Recall that these theatres are, the NE, NW, NC, SS and SE, with the NE and NW having the highest levels of intensity.
According to the director, these operations are complex as troops are engaged in fighting in difficult terrains as well as fighting an adversary that adopts various forms, across the country.
“Clearly, we have boots on the ground and are fighting in several dimensions to crush
the enemy”, he declared.
Continuing, Buba said, “Indeed, troops are fighting on ground, air, at sea as well as in the cyber dimension in several parts of the country. The common denominator in all our operations is the
terrorist.
“These terrorists are the enemy that must be fought and defeated. They are
responsible for keeping the nation in an almost constant state of counter terrorism and
counter insurgency.
“In the SS, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of One Billion One Hundred and Twenty Seven Million Two Hundred and Twenty Nine Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninty Naira (N1,127,229,890.00) only.
“Furthermore, troops recovered 128 assorted weapons and 3,300 assorted ammunition. The breakdown as follows: one PKT gun, 80 AK47 rifles, 15 locally fabricated gun, 15 dane guns, 2 FN rifles, 5 pump action guns, 2 single barrel guns, 4 locally fabricated pistols, one fabricated barretta pistol, one locally made double barrel gun, 2 hand grenades, 2 primed IEDs and materials.
“Others are: 1,941 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 729 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 377 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 191 rounds of 5.55mm ammo, 199 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 16 rounds of 9mm ammo, 26 live cartridges, 26 empty case of cartridges, 26 AK47 magazines, 6 baofeng radios, 10 vehicles, 4 motorcycles, 4 walkie-talkie, mobile phones and the sum of N102,010.00 only amongst other items.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 18 dugout pits, 30 boats and 49 storage tanks. Other items recovered include 66 cooking ovens, 4 drums, 5 speedboats, 15 vehicles, 2 tricycles, one generator, 11 mobile phones and 57 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 1,l25,440 litres of stolen crude oil, 213,539 litres of illegally refined AGO and 1,230 litres of PMS”.
