By ZAKAA LAZARUS-ABUJA.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), has said, it’s troops fighting in theaters of operations across the country have Neutralised Over 150 terrorists in the first of January 2025.
The military high command also confirmed the arrest of 464 Criminals within the period under review.
Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba disclosed this while briefing journalists on Thursday in Abuja.
He said , the military is committed to winning the war against terrorists and insurgency across the country.
Buba said troops also arrested 29 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 181 kidnapped hostages
According to him, “in the South South, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of Six Hundred and Twenty Three Million Four Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand Three Hundred and Ninty Naira (N623,447,390.00)
only.
He said troops recovered 219 assorted weapons and 2,871 assorted ammunition.
“The breakdown as follows: one GPMG, 68 AK47 rifles, one AK56 rifle, 12 fabricated rifles, 4 FN rifles, 4 dane guns, 7 pump action guns, one foreign double barrel gun, 9 fabricated IEDs, 18 FN grenades, 6 RPG bombs, 27 magazines, 4 IEDs and making materials.
“Others are: 1,618 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 676 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 16 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammo, 68 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 317 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 73 rounds of 12.7mm ammo, 175 rounds of PKT ammo, one box of 12.7mm ammo, 25 live cartridges, one baofeng radio, 10 vehicles, 42 motorcycles, 29 mobile phones amongst other items.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 48 crude oil cooking ovens, 10 dugout pits, 56 storage tanks and 46 illegal refining sites. Troops also recovered 705,294 litres of stolen crude oil, 6,865 litres of illegally refined AGO, 1,500 litres of DPK and 800 litres of PMS
“Other items recovered include 28 boats,8 pumping machines and 6 speedboats. Additional are:3 outboard engines, 6 drums, 8 motorcycles, one mobile phone and 8 vehicles among others.
General Buba assured that the military is conscious of its role and responsibility in ending insurgency and terrorism in the nation.
He said, troops are thwarting and eliminating forms of resurgent terror attacks in the North West and North East, caused by influx of foreign fighters from the Sahelian Region.
He said, though troops might record occasional tactical setbacks which is common place in any threatre of war.
” Our strategic objective of breaking the terrorist will to fight remains resolute and unhindered.
“Overall, citizens are urged to embrace security as every bodies business and not that of the military.
“Accordingly, citizens must not compromise on security, otherwise everyone’s security is compromised,” General Buba assured.
