The Defence Headquarters has said troops in the last one week eliminated 254 terrorists and apprehended 368 others in different theatres of operation across the country.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this known while giving an update on the operations of the armed forces, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Buba said the ongoing counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations had prevented terrorist elements from accomplishing their strategic objectives.

According to him, the armed forces will continue to degrade the ability of the criminals to carry out small-scale attacks which are intended to create panic in localities across operational theatres in the country.

“During the week under review, troops neutralised 254 and arrested 264 of them including 104 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 73 kidnapped hostages. Troops also recovered 378 assorted weapons and 4,705 assorted ammunition comprising 131 AK47 rifles, two FN rifles, two G3 rifles, three SMGs, 69 locally fabricated guns and 57 pump action guns.

“They also include seven pistols, 14 locally fabricated pistols, five revolver rifles, four revolver pistols, 45 dane guns, four locally made single barrel, and two hand grenades, seven RPG Launchers, one RPG bomb, one locally made double barrel gun, 17 dane gun double barrel and IEDs.

“Others are 2,444 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,712 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 80 rounds of 9mm ammo, 61 rounds of 5.45 x 39mm ammo, 6 rounds of 0.44 inch ammo, 415 live cartridges, 10 empty cases of cartridges, 11 magazines, 18 vehicles, 40 motorcycles, 74 mobile phones, four baofeng radios and the sum of N748,430 amongst other items,” he said.

In the North-East, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised 63 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, arrested 13 and recovered 47 AK47 rifles, among a large cache of arms and ammunition.

He added that a total of 81 terrorist fighters and their family members comprising 28 adult males, 78 adult females and 147 children surrendered to troops in Bama and Damboa Local Government Areas of Borno during the week.

In the North-Central, he said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke eliminated 35 insurgents, arrested 72 others and rescued five kidnapped hostages across Benue, Plateau and Taraba states within the week.

In the North-West, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji neutralised 128 insurgents, arrested 27 and rescued 65 kidnapped hostages in different encounters in Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto states.

He said the troops also recovered 124 AK47 rifles, 30 locally fabricated guns, six pump action guns, 1,233 rounds of 7.62mm special, 986 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 54 rounds of 9mm ammo, 99 live cartridges amongst other items.

Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Whirl Punch arrested 42 suspected illegal miners and insurgents from a mining site in the Kwali Area Council of FCT Abuja during the week.

He said the troops also neutralised 14 insurgents and arrested 54 others in parts of Kaduna State and the FCT.

In the Niger-Delta area, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Delta Safe discovered and destroyed 67 illegal refining sites with 131 dugout pits, 70 boats, 125 storage tanks and 12 vehicles.

“Other items recovered include 43 cooking ovens, 12 pump machines, six speed boats and one outboard engine. Troops also recovered 3.28 million litres of stolen crude oil, 224,050 litres of illegally refined AGO and 5,925 litres of DPK,” he said.

In the South-East, Buba said the troops of Operation UDOKA, neutralised 28 insurgents, arrested two violent extremists and rescued one kidnapped hostage as well as recovered arms and ammunition.

In the South-West, he said the troops of Operation AWATSE, successfully conducted cordon and search operation and apprehended nine suspected terrorists and rescued four kidnapped hostages in Badagry and Ikorodu areas of Lagos State.

(NAN)