The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has reported that troops killed 1,487 terrorists and insurgents. They also rescued 777 kidnap victims and arrested 354 suspected abductors during military operations from July to August.
Defence spokesperson, Samaila Uba, shared this information on Tuesday at a security briefing held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
During this two-month period, Mr Uba explained that troops conducted 7,062 operations. These operations targeted terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, and attacks on communities across Nigeria.
The operations took place in Borno, Yobe, Taraba, Katsina, Kwara, Zamfara, Sokoto, Plateau, Benue, Niger, Oyo, and Kaduna states, among others.
He explained that the coordinated efforts included land, air, and maritime assets. They carried out clearance operations, intelligence-led raids, rescue missions, and targeted arrests against terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, arms traffickers, oil thieves, and other criminals.
"In total, 7,062 security operations were conducted. A total of 1,487 terrorists and insurgents were neutralised, 354 suspects were arrested, while 777 kidnapped victims were successfully rescued," he said.
The spokesperson also reported that 93 security personnel and 249 civilians lost their lives during this period. Troops recovered 991 firearms, 1,331 rounds of ammunition, and several improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which were safely detonated.
One of the military's major successes during this review period was rescuing hundreds of kidnapped victims from terrorist hideouts. They also "neutralised" 309 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, arrested 354 suspects, and recovered 44 IEDs during their counter-terrorism efforts.
Other Operations
These operations led to the recovery of weapons, motorcycles, and livestock. Several terrorist operational bases were also dismantled.
Beyond combat operations, the military spokesperson mentioned that the military took part in nine dialogue and peace-building initiatives. They also held 15 engagement meetings with traditional and religious leaders.
Mr Uba noted that 137 press statements were issued during this time. They also identified and countered 13 cases of misinformation.
He stated that no major border or transnational security incidents, prison breaks, or attacks on critical national infrastructure like pipelines, railways, and highways were recorded during this review period.
The military spokesperson credited their success to joint military operations, inter-agency collaboration, and community support. He urged Nigerians to continue providing timely and useful information to security agencies.
He also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for logistical support and strategic guidance to strengthen military operations. He called on the media to support ongoing security efforts through accurate, balanced, and responsible reporting.
Since the Boko Haram uprising in 2009, Nigerian troops, including the police, have been actively fighting against terrorists across the country. The Boko Haram insurgency has spread to other regions, including the North-west and North-central, where banditry and other security threats continue to cause problems.
This conflict, which has lasted for 17 years, is now reaching the South, where jihadists have kidnapped schoolchildren and their teachers.
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