By SUMAILA OGBAJE

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria neutralised more than 102 terrorists and other criminal elements, arrested 345 suspects and rescued 393 kidnapped victims during military operations conducted across the country in July.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja during the monthly briefing on ongoing military operations.

Onoja said the operations, carried out in collaboration with other security agencies and local vigilante groups, also led to the surrender of 57 insurgents and their family members, while troops recovered 59 weapons and 1,811 rounds of ammunition.

He said sustained offensives across the North-East, North-West, North-Central, South-South and South-East further degraded the operational capabilities of terrorists, kidnappers, armed militias, secessionist groups and other criminal elements.

According to him, troops of Operation Hadin Kai recorded major successes against Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists in the North-East, including the neutralisation of senior terrorist commander and propaganda chief, Abu Salim al-Barnawi, during a counterattack in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno.

He added that troops also dismantled terrorist logistics networks, arrested suspected collaborators, rescued abductees and recorded fresh surrenders by insurgents under sustained military pressure.

In the North-West, Onoja said Operation Fansan Yamma rescued 191 kidnap victims, neutralised 33 terrorists and arrested 66 suspects during operations in Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara states.

He said troops also foiled several kidnapping attempts, recovered arms and improvised explosive device components and secured the rescue of dozens of abductees from terrorist camps and attack scenes.

According to him, troops under Operations Savannah Shield, Enduring Peace and Whirl Stroke sustained pressure on kidnappers, arms traffickers and militia groups across the North-Central, resulting in multiple arrests, the rescue of victims and the recovery of weapons and ammunition.

In the South-South, Onoja said troops of Operation Delta Safe dismantled 18 illegal refining sites, recovered more than 250,500 litres of stolen petroleum products and arrested suspected kidnappers and economic saboteurs.

He added that anti-crude oil theft operations also led to the arrest of several suspects and the disruption of illegal refining activities in Rivers State.

Onoja further said troops of Operation Udo Ka sustained operations against criminal elements and secessionist agitators in the South-East, arresting 26 suspects, rescuing 10 civilians and recovering assorted weapons and ammunition.

He said the Air Component of the Armed Forces also supported ground operations through precision air interdictions, including successful strikes against terrorist targets in Niger State that disrupted planned attacks and aided rescue operations.

The defence spokesman said troops equally expanded civil-military cooperation initiatives through peace-building engagements, public health interventions and community development projects across various operational theatres.

He said the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, commended troops for their professionalism and the successes recorded during the month.

Onoja said the CDS also praised the synergy among the Armed Forces, other security agencies and local vigilante groups, particularly in the successful rescue of 44 pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State without any concession to the abductors.

He reaffirmed the military’s commitment to protecting lives and property and urged Nigerians to continue providing credible information to security agencies through the toll-free emergency line 193. (NAN)

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