Kehinde Fajobi
Nigerian troops eliminated 181 terrorists, detained 203 suspects, and rescued 161 abducted victims during counter-terrorism operations within the past week, according to the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba.
In a statement on Friday, Buba disclosed that among those arrested was a notorious gunrunner, Mohammed Musa, also known as Mamman.
“During the week under review, troops neutralised 181 terrorists and arrested 203 persons. Troops also arrested 50 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 161 kidnapped hostages,” he said.
Buba added that several notorious kidnappers were apprehended, including Mamman, in Plateau State.
“All efforts are aimed at degrading terrorists wherever they are hibernating or hiding,” he stated.
Troops in the Niger Delta recovered crude oil worth ₦728.3 million and dismantled 47 illegal refining sites.
They destroyed 25 crude oil cooking ovens, 10 dugout pits, 38 boats, 44 storage tanks, six speedboats, and other equipment.
Recovered items included:
Crude Oil: 765,680 litres of stolen crude and 86,725 litres of illegally refined AGO.
Weapons and Ammunition: 228 assorted weapons, including 85 AK-47 rifles, 36 Dane guns, 12 FN rifles, and 6,749 rounds of assorted ammunition.
Miscellaneous: 33 motorcycles, 42 mobile phones, and ₦577,800.
Buba assured citizens that troops would sustain their operations with tremendous force to eliminate terrorists and their allies.
“Troops will also continue to create an atmosphere in which citizens live in peace and are safe from acts of terror,” he said.