The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced that troops eliminated 159 terrorists and arrested no fewer than 174 others in the past week.
News About Nigeria reports that this was made known by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, in an update on the operations of the armed forces in Abuja.
Buba stated that troops also rescued 188 kidnapped hostages, apprehended 45 perpetrators of oil theft, and recovered 151 assorted weapons and 12,401 assorted ammunition within the period.
He said that the armed forces had taken resolute steps towards ending terrorism and insecurity in the country through ongoing operations.
According to him, the operations are yielding the desired results as troops dismantle terrorist networks and decimate their leadership and combatants, with several of the terrorist leaders and commanders eliminated from the battlefield.
“Furthermore, troops are strategically deployed to ensure that the off-cycle governorship election scheduled for September 21 in Edo is violence-free, fair, and credible,” he said.
“Troops’ role is to support the police to ensure voters’ safety and security, and to thwart the activities of those elements bent on fomenting crises during the elections.
“Our operations against terrorists and violent extremists remain aimed at providing security and stability for the nation and its citizens.
“Troops will therefore continue to be relentless in pursuit of ending all forms of insecurity across the country.
In the North East, Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai, neutralised 46 terrorists, apprehended 41 suspects, and rescued 48 kidnapped hostages, as well as recovered of large cache of arms and ammunition.
He said that a total of 76 terrorists comprising nine adult males, 28 adult females, and 39 children surrendered to troops within the theatre between Sept. 11 and Sept. 17 September.
He added that the air component of Operation Hadin Kai conducted air interdiction on a suspected ISWAP/JAS terrorist enclave in Southern Tumbun of Borno, neutralising several terrorists and destroying their logistics.
