The Nigerian armed forces have said that over 158 terrorist elements, armed bandits, kidnappers and criminals, as well as the arrest of 100 others in the past two weeks.
Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brigadier-General Benard Onyeuko, who made this known at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja on Thursday, said the troops of the Armed Forces also recovered 109 assorted arms with a total of 818 rounds of ammunition, 295 rustled livestock, 26 motorcycles, 100 pinches and 825 wraps of heroin cannabis sativa.
He disclosed that a total of 43 kidnapped civilians and NPF personnel were rescued while 192 terrorists and their families comprising 51 adult males, 67 adult females and 74 children surrounded to the Nigeria troops within the period.
“The surrendered terrorists were properly profiled and handed over to appropriate authorities for necessary actions,” he added.
According to him, the troops extensively conducted multiple land, maritime and air operations at different locations of the various theatres of operation, with some of the operations resulting in the “decimation of criminals’ enclaves, neutralization and arrest of criminal elements’ as well as recovery of arms, ammunition and illegally refined and stolen petroleum products.”
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Highlighting the operational activities of the various theatres, Brigadier-General Onyeuko noted that in Operation HADIN KAI, “troops’ operational activities within the last 2 weeks recorded significant results in the various operations they carried out,” including the fierce battle against BHT/ISWAP terrorists in Kala Balge LGA of Borno State on 3 December 2021 during with the troops subdued the terrorist elements with superior firepower and neutralized no fewer than 26 of them.
He said the troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN within the period in focus conducted various operations, including raid operations on criminal elements’ hideouts as well as repelled kidnappers and gunmen attacks at different locations across the theatre.
“These operations cumulatively resulted in the arrest of a total of 43 armed bandits/collaborators and drug peddlers, rescue of 20 kidnapped civilians as well as recovery of 131 livestock, 12 assorted arms and 36 different calibers of ammunition among other items.
While commending the sacrifices of its troops in the various theatres of operation and saluting their courage and resilience towards achieving sustainable peace in the Country, the Military High Command also expressed appreciation to the general public and members of the press community for the cooperation given the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies in the course of our operations.