Kehinde Fajobi
The Nigerian military’s counter-terrorism and anti-crime efforts in 2024 resulted in significant achievements, including the neutralisation of 8,034 terrorists, the arrest of 11,623 suspects, and the rescue of 6,376 kidnapped victims.
Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, shared these details in a briefing, highlighting the recovery of 8,216 weapons and over 211,000 rounds of ammunition.
Among the key weapons recovered were 4,053 AK-47 rifles, 1,123 locally fabricated guns, and 731 Dane guns.
The military also seized 120,247 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and 41,515 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition.
In the fight against oil theft, the military recovered 53 million liters of crude oil and over 9 million liters of illegally refined AGO, preventing an estimated ₦57 billion in losses.
Operations across different regions showed substantial progress:
North-East (Operation Hadin Kai): 2,918 terrorists neutralised, 2,285 suspects arrested, and 1,496 hostages rescued.
Key recoveries included 1,682 AK-47 rifles and 39,612 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo.
North-Central (Operation Safe Haven): 411 terrorists neutralised, 1,859 arrests, and 927 hostages rescued.
Weapons seized included 238 AK-47 rifles.
North-West (Operation Hadarin Daji): 2,646 terrorists neutralised, 1,654 arrests, and 2,339 hostages rescued.
1,341 AK-47 rifles and 29,068 rounds of ammunition were recovered.
Niger Delta (Operation Delta Safe): 78 terrorists neutralised, 2,176 arrested for oil theft, and 73 hostages rescued.
The operation also seized 524 weapons and destroyed 1,880 wooden boats used in theft.
South-East (Operation Udoka): 666 IPOB/ESN terrorists neutralised, 893 suspects arrested, and 323 hostages rescued.
Recoveries included 144 AK-47 rifles and 8,000 rounds of ammunition.
Major General Buba emphasised that these efforts have weakened terrorist forces and helped restore peace, while creating conditions for socio-economic activities to thrive.
He called for greater transparency from International Oil Companies (IOCs) and urged local communities to assist in combating oil theft.
“These sustained operations have put terrorists on the defensive, limiting their ability to harm citizens.
“The armed forces continue to explore strategies to guarantee peace and security nationwide,” Buba concluded.