79 criminal suspects killed, 224 others arrested in one week – Military

Military operations conducted by troops in the last one week resulted in the killing of 79 suspected terrorists and arrest of 224 others.

Among the violent extremists neutralised in the course of the week was one Abu Mosaje, a notorious terrorist commander and gun runner in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, who made the disclosure in a statement on Friday, January 24, 2025, highlighted the successes recorded by the intensity of the ongoing counterterrorism operations across Nigeria.

“Nevertheless, during the week under review, troops neutralised 79 and arrested 224 persons.

“Troops also arrested 28 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 67 kidnapped hostages,” Gen. Buba stated.

He identified the targeting of terrorists’ network of collaborators, informants and support base as some of the paradigm shifts that define ongoing operations.

Hear him: “The military intensified ongoing counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations across the nation.

“The operations particularly targeted not just the terrorist but their network of collaborators, informants and support base.

“Additionally, same troops apprehended a wanted kidnap kingpin that was on security watch list identified as Babangida Gora Usman. He was arrested in Sanga LGA of Kaduna State.

“Furthermore, troops arrested another notorious gunrunner and his son identified as Timothy Yusuf and Timothy Obadiah.

“In the South East, troops arrested 7 IPOB/ESN terrorists including a notorious kidnapper and informants in Enugu North and Ehime Mbano LGAs of Enugu and Imo States.

Meanwhile, troops of Operation Delta Safe intensified onslaught on crude oil theft with the seizure of stolen crude and other illegally refined products estimated at N747,070,710.00.

Additionally, troops were said to have discovered and destroyed 215 crude oil cooking ovens, 26 dugout pits, 29 boats, 62 storage tanks, 20 drums and 42 illegal refining sites. 6.

Other items recovered include one barge, one tug boat, 2 pumping machines, 2 speedboats, 9 outboard engines, 2 vehicles, 21 motorcycles, 11 mobile phones and 8 vehicles among others.

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Troops recovered 842,685 litres of stolen crude oil, 12,340 litres of illegally refined AGO and 200 litres of DPK.7.

Furthermore, across all the theatres of operations, troops recovered 104 assorted weapons and 1,953 assorted ammunition.

The breakdown as follows: 53 AK47 rifles, 25 fabricated rifles, one FN rifle, 11 dane guns, 2 pump action guns, one fabricated SMG, 4 IEDs, 7 RPG bombs, 30 magazines, 4 IEDs and 3 locally made butts.

Others are: 1,186 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 417 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 49 rounds of 12.7mm ammo, 190 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 12 live cartridges, 3 bandoliers, one baofeng, 35 motorcycles, 22 mobile phones amongst other items.

Overall, the director assured that troops remain steadfast in destruction of terrorists across the country even as the armed forces remains committed to creating conditions in which the safety and security of citizens is guaranteed.

The Star