1,081 Terrorists, Families Surrender-Army

Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko

The Nigerian Army says 1,081 terrorists comprising their families have surrendered to troops due to  overwhelming kinetic and non-kinetic activities in two weeks.

Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko,disclosed this  at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja .

He said several other criminal elements, including high profile ones were either killed in action or arrested while many kidnapped civilians were rescued.

Gen. Onyeuko who gave the breakdown of the operational activities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria between 9th and 23rd December 2021 revealed that, some of their troops paid the “supreme prize in the course of the operations.”

He said, “Besides, there are records of large numbers of terrorists surrendering due to troops’ overwhelming kinetic and non-kinetic activities, while several kidnapped civilians were rescued.

“Troops also repelled and forestalled armed criminal elements’ attacks on civilians and troops, recovered caches of arms, ammunition, equipment, vehicles and oodles of livestock within the year.

“You may as well recall that, in the maritime environment, troops in major and subsidiary operations were able to disrupt smuggling activities, immobilize illegal refining sites, arrest as well as neutralized perpetrators and criminal elements and recovered tons of petroleum products.

“Although some of our troops paid the supreme prize in the course of the operations, our dogged troops consistently exhibited gallantry and resilience in the various operations within the year.

“Additionally, troops’ kinetic and non-kinetic operations have continued to drive the terrorists out of their camps into surrendering. Within this period in focus, a total of 1,081 terrorists and their families comprising 187 adult males, 326 adult females and 568 children surrounded to own troops at different locations of the theatre. The surrendered terrorists were properly profiled and handed over to appropriate authorities for necessary actions.”

In Operation HADIN KAI, Gen. Onyeuko said that, troops carried out several land and air operations that recorded significant results at different locations across the theatre within the period of two weeks.

He said some of these locations, are towns, villages and roads in; Bama, Mafa, Pulka, Konduga, Gwoza, Mobbar and Dikwa LGAs of Borno State as well as Madagali LGA of Adamawa State.

“Troops operational efforts in the locations in the last two weeks, cumulatively resulted in the neutralization of a total 51 and arrest of 19 terrorists. Also, a total of 122 assorted arms and 1,499 rounds of different calibres of ammunitions were recovered, while a total of 8 gun trucks of the terrorists were destroyed.”

The Director also explained that in the last two weeks, troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI sustained offensive operations against armed bandits and other criminal elements at different locations across the theatre.

With the support of the Air Component, he stated that troops launched deliberate attacks on identified bandits’ hideouts; successfully repelled armed bandits and robbers’ attacks on civilians in different villages; rescued victims and recovered assorted arms, ammunitions and other items at different locations.

“The locations in which troops’ operational efforts yielded significant results include; Kaikazaka village in Sokoto State as well as Garbadu town and Saturi, Katanga, Badarawa and Tunga Na Yarchiga villages in Zamfara State; Cumulatively, a total of 33 armed bandits were neutralized, while 19 of them and their collaborators as well as armed herdsman were arrested.

“Also, 37 assorted arms, including AK-47 rifles, PKT machine guns and GPMGs as well as 698 rounds of different calibres of ammunitions, 22 motorcycles and 899 rustled livestock among other items and vehicles were recovered; while 28 kidnapped civilians were rescued in the course of the operations.

“Additionally, 59 extra magazines of assorted arms and 21 motorcycles were recovered from bandits.”

He disclosed that  between 9th and 23rd December 2021, troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN conducted various operations at different locations across the country where troops successfully repelled armed bandits’ attacks and arrested child traffickers, cattle rustlers, kidnappers as well as armed bandits and robbers.

Troops were also said to have recovered several arms, ammunition and livestock during raid operations on criminal elements’ hideouts as well as repelled kidnappers and gunmen attacks at different locations across the theatre within the period.

“Cumulatively, a total of 15 criminal elements were arrested, 12 kidnapped civilians were rescued, while 118 livestock, 18 assorted arms and 112 different calibers of ammunition among other items were recovered in the course of the operations. Some of the operations were executed at; Maraban Foron village in Barkin Ladi LGA; Ganawuri and Chiri Danto villages in Riyom LGA as well as Utan village in Jos North LGA, all in Plateau State.

“Other locations were; Boto area in Tafawa Balewa LGA of Bauchi State; Gidan.”