The Defence Headquarters says the Nigerian Army have, in the last week, neutralised 38 terrorists, apprehended 242 others and rescued 89 kidnapped hostages in different operations across the country.

The director of defence media operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Mr Buba said the apprehended suspects comprised 175 gunmen, 20 kidnappers, 30 collaborators and 17 pipeline vandals.

He said the troops denied the oil theft saboteurs the sum of N607 million being the value of seizures and recovery of 38 assorted weapons and 186 ammunition.

Giving the breakdown, Mr Buba said the troops recovered 14 AK 47 rifles, one G3 rifle, one PKT, three AK47 rifles loaded with 23 rounds of 7.62mm special, one SMG, 10 Dane guns and five locally-fabricated pistols.

Others, according to him, include two fabricated weapons, two double-barrel guns, one locally-made revolver, three locally-fabricated pistols, 151 rounds of 7.62mm special, five rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 16 rounds of 9mm ammo, 16 rounds 5.56 x 45mm ammo.

Additionally, five rounds of 7.62mm special (refilled), 12 AK47 magazines, one G3 rifle magazine, one FN rifle magazine, one magazine containing 30 rounds of 7.62mm special and seven empty cases of 7.62mm special were recovered.

“Miscellaneous items recovered include; 33 motorcycles, 30 mobile phones, four tricycles, four Motorola HH radios, four vehicles, 10 bags of fertilisers and 73 livestock.

“Also recovered are seven cutlasses, one magazine pouch, two solar panels, 10 litres of PMS, Nigerian Police uniform, two gas cylinders, one power bank, and one pair of woodland and desert camouflages each.

“Troops also recovered the sum of N2.59 million,” he said.

Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East neutralised 16 terrorists, arrested 53 terrorists, rescued 34 hostages, and recovered a large cache of arms during the period.

He said troops of Operations Safe Haven in the North-Central had, within the week, neutralised three terrorists, arrested 13 suspected criminals and five kidnappers and rescued three kidnapped hostages.

According to him, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke also neutralised seven terrorists, arrested three suspects and rescued three kidnapped hostages.

Mr Buba said troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in the North-West neutralised five terrorists, arrested eight suspects and rescued nine kidnapped hostages while several terrorists’ camps were destroyed.

He said the troops of Operation Whirl Punch neutralised five terrorists, arrested 44 collaborators and rescued 15 kidnapped civilians while several weapons with four trucks and four motorcycles, amongst other items, were recovered.

Mr Buba said troops of Operation Delta Safe in the South-South, destroyed 39 illegal refining sites, 72 dugout pits, 65 wooden boats, 70 storage tanks and 119 cooking ovens with sundry equipment such as two speedboats, five outboard engines, and four pumping machines.

He added that the troops recovered 1,247,700 litres of stolen crude oil, 132,500 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, 57,450 litres of dual-purpose kerosine and 800 litres of petrol.

In the South East, the troops of Operation UDO KA eliminated two members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network, arrested two, apprehended two trucks loaded with illegally refined diesel and rescued four kidnapped hostages.

“The uncommon cooperation, collaboration and support received from citizens across the country are greatly assisting own operations to yield expected results,” he said. 

(NAN)