By SUMAILA OGBAJE

Defence Headquarters says troops have eliminated a total of 135 terrorists, apprehended 182 and rescued 140 kidnap victims in ground and air operations across the country in the last one week.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja on the operations of the Armed Forces.

Buba said the troops recovered 97 assorted weapons and 3,117 assorted ammunition during the week.

He said the recovered items comprised 47 AK47 rifles, one PKMG, one FN rifle, 17 locally fabricated guns, 21 dane guns, nine pump action guns, three locally fabricated pistols, 3×36 hand grenade and one IED.

Others according to him are: 1,087 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 840 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 402 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 88 rounds of 5.56mm, 33 rounds of 9mm x 99mm ball ammo, 90 live cartridges, 29 magazines, 15 vehicles, 21 motorcycles, six bicycles, 43 mobile phones and the sum of N2.02 million, among other items.

In the North East, Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised 47 terrorists, arrested 53 suspects and rescued 40 hostages.

He said the air component on May 3 conducted air interdiction on terrorists assembling in Mandara Mountain, killing several of them and destroying their logistics.

According to him, the terrorists were converging with their equipment for possible attack on troops and locals before the location was acquired and attacked with rockets and bombs.

In the North Central, Buba said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke neutralised 29 insurgents, arrested 58 violent extremists and rescued 42 hostages as well as recovered cache of arms and ammunition.

In the North West, he said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, neutralised 36 terrorists, arrested 25 and rescued 45 hostages as well as recovered several arms, ammunition and other items.

Under Operation Whirl Punch, Buba said the troops neutralised nine terrorists, arrested 21 suspects and rescued 30 kidnapped victims within the week.

According to him, the air component conducted air interdiction on May 3, following reports and aerial surveillance on migration of sets of terrorists with their equipment towards the deserted Allawa village and nearby forest in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger.

“The air component conducted pre-emptive air strikes to destroy terrorist at the location and the Battle Damage Assessment revealed that several terrorists were eliminated with their equipment destroyed,” he said.

In the South-South, Buba said the troops of Operation Delta Safe, discovered and destroyed 40 illegal refining sites with 11 dugout pits, 29 boats, 24 drums, four receiver, seven reservoirs and 41 storage tanks.

He added that 115 cooking ovens, two generators, 13 vehicles and three pumping machines as well as 14 weapons and 250 assorted ammunitions were recovered.

He said the troops also recovered 588,400 litres of stolen crude oil and 238,686 litres of illegally refined AGO while 18 suspected oil thieves were apprehended and two killed during the week.

In the South East, Buba said the troops of Operation UDO KA neutralised 23 terrorists, arrested 31 violent extremists and rescued 13 hostages as well as recovered several arms and ammunition.

In the South West, he said the troops of Operation AWATSE arrested five violent extremists and rescued one hostage while cache of weapons was recovered. (NAN)

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