Troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria have arrested 430 suspected oil theft, terrorists and other criminal suspects across the country.
Major General Markus Kangye, Director, Defence Media Operations (DDMO) has disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing, at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja where he gave a monthly report of the ongoing military operations by the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
During the period, he said:”430 perpetrators of oil theft, terrorists and other criminal elements were apprehended. We have rescued 173 kidnapped hostages, while over 204 terrorists and members of their families surrendered to own troops.”
According to Kangye, “Troops of Operation DELTA SAFE foiled oil theft worth over N1, 931,297,897.00 only during the week. The breakdown indicates that 1,009,733 litres of stolen crude oil, 304,811 litres of illegally refined AGO and 3,480 litres of DPK, 19,875 litres of PMS and 1,600 litres of engine oil.”
The Armed Forces of Nigeria,he said, remains focused and committed to ensuring national security and welfare of its personnel as troops continue to put in efforts to safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity and protect citizens from all forms of threats.
He said: “We have launched several key operations aimed at combating insurgency, terrorism, and other forms of criminal activities that threaten our communities.
“These operations are strategically designed and executed to ensure the safety of our people and the restoration of peace in affected regions.
“Accordingly, I am pleased to report significant progress in our operations, which include neutralization of key insurgent leaders, destruction of several terrorists’ camps as well as rescue of kidnapped victims and rehabilitation of civilians affected by the conflict.
“Our dedicated troops have demonstrated remarkable courage and professionalism in the face of adversity. We are collaborating closely with local and international partners to enhance intelligence-sharing and operational effectiveness.
“The cooperation of local communities has also been invaluable in our intelligence-gathering efforts. We also appreciate your efforts, as you continue to keep Nigerians and the global community informed of our operational successes through your various media outlets.”
In the month in view, General Kangye noted that: “our gallant troops neutralized scores of terrorists, including one of their leaders known as Nkwachi Eze Otherwise known as Onowu who has been on the wanted list of the military.”
He stated that, “Eze has been responsible for coordinating series of attacks and kidnappings across the South East. We have also taken into custody.”
Besides, Kangye disclosed that, “One Buhari Umar, a wanted suspected gunrunner who also double as leader of a kidnapping syndicate terrorizing Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau and Kaduna States.
“Furthermore, the troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE successfully arrested a five-man kidnapping syndicate in Lafia LGA of Nasarawa State. They include Hassan Mohammed, Saleh Sani, Idi Yusuf, Adamu Danmai and Hassan Bello.”
He revealed that troops recovered large quantities of various arms, such as automatic weapons, RPG tubes, machine guns, locally fabricated guns, and improvised explosive devices. Also, some cache of live cartridges and assorted ammunition were recovered.
He reassured that, “Troops of Armed Forces of Nigeria will continue its operations across the country within the ambit of the law giving due regards to human rights in line with global best practices in orders to safeguard national security, support our allies, and maintain regional stability.”
He further noted that, “We recognize the importance of transparency and accountability, and we remain committed to keeping the public informed through accurate and timely updates.”
While operational security requires discretion on certain details, General assured that the military will remain “focused in our determination to defeat terrorism, banditry and other criminalities in the country in order to ensure the safety of all Nigerians.”
