The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Thursday said troops deployed to different theatres of operations across the country neutralised 2,351 terrorists and arrested 2,308 persons in the first quarter of 2024.
He said among those eliminated were top terrorists’ commanders, killed through effective synergy among the Air Force, ground troops and other security agencies.
The military high command also said troops rescued 1,241 kidnapped hostages.
Director Defence Media Operations Maj.- Gen. Edward Buba stated this while briefing journalists in Abuja.
He said troops denied suspected oil thieves the sum of over N20 billion (N20,331,713,910.00) worth of crude.
Buba said: “Accordingly, we have employed significant firepower to neutralise several terrorists and disrupt their activities. Indeed, “significant terrorist commanders killed include and is not limited to the following: Abu Bilal Minuki (aka Abubakar Mainok) – Head of Is-Al Furqan Province (ISGS and ISWAP) and Haruna Isiya Boderi. He was a notorious terrorists who operated along Birnin Gwari Forest in Kaduna state as well as the Abuja Kaduna Highway. He was killed by troops in 21 Feb 24.
“Others are Kachallah Damina ( Neutralised in Mar 24, by troops. He was neutralised alongside over 50 combatants), Kachallah Alhaji Dayi, Kachallah Idi (Namaidaro), Kachallah Kabiru (Doka), Kachallah Azarailu (Farin-Ruwa), Kachallah Balejo.
“Kachallah Ubangida, Alhaji Baldu among several others.
“The above was achieved through synchronized strikes between the ground and air forces on terrorist enclaves. For instance, immediately upon acquisition of vital targets, fighter jets are scrambled to carry out major bombarding raids on significant terrorist enclaves.”
The defence spokesman also said troops recovered 2,847 weapons, 58,492 ammunitions in the period under review, saying “1,497 AK47 rifles, 33,878 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 12,698 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 948 assorted arms and 5,520 assorted ammunition.
“Others are 21,573,310 litres of stolen crude oil, 2,723,430 litres of illegally refined AGO, 53,300 litres of DPK and 52,730 litres of PMS amongst other item.”
The defence spokesperson said the successes recorded by the military in the first quarter demonstrated that ongoing operations against terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements were effective and result-oriented.
“Accordingly, the military is raising the bar in the prosecution of the war. Consequently, citizens will continue to witness the incremental effectiveness and efficiency of the armed forces.
“The armed forces is fighting a vicious enemy in the ongoing operations across the country. Nevertheless, the military is ready, prepared, equipped and focused on what to do with these terrorist and their cohorts.
“Surely, we have been collecting intelligence, hunting them and striking them where they may be hiding and hibernating. Our aim is to kill this terrorist and the infrastructure that supports them,” he said.
… 400,000 capacity diesel bunker uncovered
Similarly, operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT uncovered an Automated Gas Oil (AGO) a 400,000-litre capacity bunker at a private residence in the Lekki area of Lagos state.
Findings revealed the estimated worth of all the storage facilities would be up to N500million if they contained AGO to full capacity.
The discovery followed intelligence received by the Base that a gas tanker was seen loading at Elegushi Beach.
Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Rafiu Taye Oladejo, said this while handing over the suspects and recovered products to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at Silver Bird Road, Ilasun in Lekki, Wednesday.
He said the suspects, including Ariyo, two sisters and others, were running an illegal family business without a care for the safety of others.
According to him, they were operating an unregistered company, Ahmed Ariyo Sons Nigeria Limited, in a residential neighbourhood.
Oladejo said: “It’s worrisome that an apartment of this nature is serving as an illegal fuel depot undermining the economic and security implications on lives and properties.
“Eight tanks of 50,000 storage capacity each were kept in the compound with cumulatively 57,000 litres of AGO in them.
“The truck had 7,000 litres and the white TM bus had 30 jerry cans of 50 litres totalling 1,500 litres of AGO with an estimated market value of N89,000,000.
“There were 400 jerry cans and 13 drums carefully stocked inside another TM bus as well as in the compound.
“Yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon, we got intelligence that a white bus was loading petroleum products at Elegushi Beach.
“We dispatched our Quick Response to the location. Before they could get there, both the boat and bus had disappeared.
“Our further surveillance of the white bus led to the discovery of this private apartment of an illegal fuel depot.”
On whether there were other collaborators, the naval officer said: “It cannot be a one-man show. However, we are not relenting to tackle oil theft in all ramifications in consonance with the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla’s directives to stamp oil theft out of the maritime environment.”