Troops Neutralise 197 Terrorists, Rescue 251 Kidnap Victims In One Week
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters has revealed that troops have neutralised 197 terrorists, arrested 310 persons, and rescued 251 kidnap victims, within the space on one week.
Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, made the revelation on Thursday at a press briefing with defence correspondents.
In the Southsouth, troops arrested 22 perpetrators of oil theft denying them the oil theft of the estimated sum of Seven Hundred and Sixty Five Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Four Thousand, One Hundred Naira (N765,654,100.00) only.
Buba also revealed that in the Niger Delta region, troops discovered and destroyed 29 dugout pits, 22 boats and 26 storage tanks, and recovered 66 cooking ovens, 85 drums, 8 vehicles, 3 mobile phones and 43 illegal refining sites.
They recovered 728,360 litres of stolen crude oil, 143,450 litres of illegally refined AGO (diesel) 1,100 litres of DPK (kerosene) and 18,750 litres of PMS (petrol).
Furthermore, troops recovered 180 assorted weapons and 5,123 assorted ammunition. These are made up of 2 PKT guns, 1 fabricated Arty gun, 1 G3 rifle, 73 AK-47 rifles, 17 locally fabricated guns, 21 dane guns, 2 pump action guns, 2 revolver rifles, and 1 short dane gun.
Others are 3 double barrel guns, 3 single barrel guns, 1 pistol, 4 locally fabricated pistols, 5 fabricated baretta pistols, 1 berretta pistol, 1 Jojef magnum pump action gun, 1 Exp 64 semi auto rifle, 10 hand grenades, 3 60mm mortar bombs, bandoliers and 10 fabricated Arty bombs.
Of ammunition recovered were 3,207 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,022 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 13 rounds of 9mm ammo, 243 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 240 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm, 132 rounds of 5.56 x 54mm ammo, 143 live cartridges, 59 magazines,
one pistol magazine, one ECOME HH radio, 4 Baofeng radios, 4 vehicles, 47 motorcycles, 21 mobile phones and the sum of N1,236,200.00 as well as
CFA 608,000.00 only amongst other items.
These feats, including the surrender of terrorist fighters, were achieved through the efforts of troops in various operations such as offensives, raids, fighting patrols, counter-kidnapping operations and air interdictions, in theatres such as the Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI in the Northeast, Operations SAFE HEAVEN and WHIRL STROKE in the North-central, Operations HADARIN DAJI and WHIRL PUNCH in the Northwest, Operation DELTA SAFE in the Southsouth, and Operation UDO KA in the Southeast.
Buba affirmed that the war effort of the Armed Forces is designed and crafted to defeat and destroy the terrorists as well as dismantle their terror infrastructure across the country.
While acquiescing that “troops probably don’t have all the answers”, the director assured that the military is working relentlessly to guarantee the safety and security of every citizen from acts of terror.
