The Defence Headquarters says troops have eliminated 101 terrorists and apprehended a terrorist commander, Usman Maisaje, and 182 others in different operations across the country in the last one week.

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

Mr Buba said the troops also rescued 157 kidnapped hostages, adding that Mr Maisaje was a close associate of a wanted high-profile terrorist leader, Kachalla Boka.

According to him, the arrest has been rewarding in intelligence value as he is cooperating and providing troops with much-needed information for further operations.

He said that the troops recovered 71 assorted weapons and 1,463 assorted ammunition comprising 50 AK-47 rifles, 16 fabricated rifles, five Dane guns, five pump action guns and 16 AK-47 magazines.

“Others are 784 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 403 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 164 rounds 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 53 rounds of 9mm ammo, 67 live cartridges, one baofeng radio, 19 vehicles, 23 motorcycles, 35 mobile phones amongst other items.”

In the North-East, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised 54 terrorists, apprehended 71 suspects and rescued 39 kidnapped hostages within the week.

He added that troops recovered a cache of arms while a total of 74 terrorists, comprising seven adult males, 17 adult females and 44 children, surrendered within the theatre of operations.

He said the air component conducted air interdiction on terrorists hibernating in Bukar Meram around Tumbuns, neutralising several terrorists while their structures and logistics were destroyed.

In the North Central, Buba said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke neutralised 12 violent extremists, arrested 42 violent extremists, and rescued 56 kidnapped hostages.

In the North-West, he said the troops of Operations Hadarin Daji and Whirl Punch eliminated 28 terrorists, arrested 57 terrorists and rescued 44 kidnapped hostages, as well as recovered a large cache of weapons.

He added that the air component also conducted air interdictions on notorious terrorist kingpin, Malam Yaddi, enclave and terrorists hibernating in enclaves at Jan Birnin in the Birni Gwari area of Kaduna state, killing several.

In the Niger Delta, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Delta Safe discovered and destroyed 60 illegal refining sites with four dugout pits, 48 boats, 52 drums and 38 storage tanks.

He added that 55 cooking ovens, two speedboats, one tricycle, six mobile phones, and vehicles were recovered.

He said the troops also recovered 712,535 litres of stolen crude oil and 76,800 litres of illegally refined diesel, as well as arrested 45 perpetrators of oil theft.

In the South-East, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation UDO KA neutralised seven terrorists, apprehended 12 violent extremists and rescued 18 kidnapped hostages within the week.

“The military will not relent on its plan to kill terrorists and destroy the infrastructure that support them.

“We will increasingly degrade the terrorist military capability and effectiveness through our operations,” he said. 

(NAN)