Troops kill ‘over 60 terrorists’, arrest 98 in one week

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says troops, in the last one week, eliminated over 60 terrorists and apprehended 98 others in different operations across the country. 

Edward Buba, director of defence media operations, spoke to journalists on Thursday in Abuja about the operations of the military within the week.

Buba said the troops also rescued a total of 139 hostages and recovered 141 assorted weapons and 1,463 assorted ammunition in the various operations across north-east, north-central and north-west theatres of operation.

He said items recovered included one GPMG, one GT3 rifle, one assault rifle, 49 AK47 rifles, one Josef Magnum pump action gun, one double barrel gun and two single barrel guns.

Others were nine locally made pistols, 13 dane guns, one hand grenade, seven locally made rifles, and two locally made hand grenades.

In the north-east, troops of operation Hadin Kai, on November 17, apprehended three suspected terrorists collaborators in Gujba LGA of Yobe.

Buba said a total of 108 terrorists and their families comprising 13 adult males, 32 adult females and 63 children surrendered to troops between November 17 and 23 within the theatre of operations.

He said the troops neutralised 19 terrorists, arrested 21 and rescued eight kidnap victims within the week.

Buba said in the north central, troops of operation Safe Haven neutralised three terrorists, apprehended 32 and rescued eight kidnap victims.

He said the troops also recovered various types of arms and ammunition and other items.

He added that troops of operation Whirl Stroke conducted raids at suspected criminal hideouts in Takum and Katsina-Ala LGA of Taraba and Benue states, and neutralised two terrorists, arrested nine and rescued three hostages.

He said the troops also recovered one AK-47 rifle, one magazine and 27 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo.

In the north-west, troops of operation Hadarin Daji neutralised 20 terrorists, apprehended 20 and rescued 83 kidnap victims in Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

He said the air component of the operation conducted air interdiction on the enclave of Laibi Magogo, a targeted terrorist leader.

According to Buba, the enclave is in Danmusa LGA of Katsina and the location was struck with rockets and cannons after confirmation that the terrorist and his foot soldiers were present.

“Battle damage assessment revealed several terrorists were neutralised with various structures destroyed,” he said.

Buba said troops of operation Whirl Punch conducted fighting patrols in Chikun LGA of Kaduna and Kuje area council of FCT respectively.

He said the troops neutralised 16 terrorists, arrested 16 suspects and rescued three hostages during ambush and offensive operations on the terrorists.

He added that on November 16, the air component conducted air interdiction at the enclave of a terrorist leader known as Boderi, at Igabi LGA of Kaduna.

He said the location was observed to be active with terrorists and was engaged with rockets and cannons.

He said the damage assessment revealed that the older brother of the terrorist leader, named Nasiru, with several of his lieutenants and foot soldiers were neutralised while their structures were destroyed.