Nigeria’s Military Strikes Hard  481 Terrorists Killed, 741 Apprehended In October

Nigeria’s Military Strikes Hard  481 Terrorists Killed, 741 Apprehended In October

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) reported substantial progress in its October operations across Nigeria, stating that troops eliminated 481 terrorists, arrested 741 suspects, and rescued 492 kidnapped hostages. This update came from Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday…CONTINUE READING...

Buba highlighted the military’s intensified efforts against insurgency and criminal activities nationwide. He noted that troops recovered a significant cache of weaponry, including 480 firearms and 9,026 rounds of assorted ammunition, with items like 263 AK47 rifles, 81 locally fabricated guns, 91 Dane guns, and 76 pump-action guns.

Additionally, troops seized 5,683 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 1,944 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, and a variety of other armaments.

Buba emphasized the military’s strategy to weaken terrorist groups and confirmed that simultaneous air and ground strikes were conducted across multiple enclaves, diminishing the groups’ fighting capabilities. He expressed that the recent passing of Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. T.A. Lagbaja, would not deter their mission, as they are inspired by his leadership and commitment to defeating terrorism.

In the North-East, Operation Hadin Kai troops carried out coordinated attacks with the air force, eliminating 198 terrorists, apprehending 166 suspects, and rescuing 156 hostages. This region also saw 257 Boko Haram and ISWAP combatants and their families surrender, along with the recovery of a large arms cache.

In the North Central, Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke neutralized 50 violent extremists, arrested 202 suspects, and rescued 165 hostages.

In the North-West, Operation Hadarin Daji troops remained focused on maintaining a secure environment for agriculture and socio-economic activities, killing 163 terrorists, arresting 82 suspects, and rescuing 80 hostages. Recovered items included 121 AK47 rifles, 32 fabricated guns, and a large quantity of ammunition.

Meanwhile, Operation Whirl Punch forces eliminated 30 terrorists, detained 111 suspects, and freed 52 hostages, also seizing nine AK47 rifles and various other arms and ammunition.