Troops Kill 62 Terrorists, Rescue 20 Policemen Abducted By ISWAP

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said its troops of Operation Hadin Kai rescued 20 personnel of the Nigerian Police abducted when terrorists attacked the Division Station in Buni Yadi and other kidnapped victims.

The acting Director of Defence Media Operations, Brig Gen Benard Onyeuko, who stated this during the biweekly update on the Armed Forces of Nigeria operations between November 25 and December 9, 2021, said 62 terrorists were killed while 192 terrorists and families surrendered to troops.

“Cumulatively, a total 62 terrorist elements were neutralized and 28 of them were arrested, while 54 assorted arms and 144 rounds of different calibre of ammunitions were recovered. Also, a total of 101 rustled livestock were recovered and 20 kidnapped NPF personnel, who were abducted when the terrorists attacked the Police Division, were rescued by own troops at Buni Yadi within the period.

“Additionally, troops’ kinetic and non-kinetic operations have continued to drive the terrorists out of their camps into surrendering. A total of 192 terrorists and their families comprising 51 adult males, 67 adult females and 74 children surrounded to own troops within the period,” he said.

He said the surrendered terrorists were properly profiled and handed over to appropriate authorities for necessary actions.

The Director said the troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI in their sustained operations neutralised 14 armed bandits, arrested four, and recovered 17 assorted arms, including AK-47 rifles, PKT machine guns and GPMGs as well as 625 rounds of different calibres of ammunition.

He said the troops also rescued eight kidnapped civilians and recovered 43 rustled livestock, 54 extra magazines of assorted arms and 20 motorcycles also recovered from bandits.

Speaking further, he said troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN in series of raids arrested 43 armed bandits/collaborators and drug peddlers, rescued 20 kidnapped civilians as well as recovery of 131 livestock, 12 assorted arms and 36 different calibers of ammunition among other items.

Relatedly, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE, neutralized 15 criminals, arrested 19 while 15 different arms and 62 different caliber of ammunition were recovered and three kidnapped civilians rescued within the period under review.

Also, the troops of Operation THUNDER STRIKE/WHIRL PUNCH intercepted and arrested criminal elements as well as recovered arms and ammunitions.

He noted that the troops arrested a notorious armed bandit at Paka community in Igabi LGA of Kaduna State, who upon interrogation revealed that the Head of vigilantes in Rigasa aids armed banditry and is involved in some attacks and kidnap incidents in the environment.

He added that on December 3, 2021, following credible intelligence report and after careful aerial surveillance revealed activities of armed bandits east of Rijana village along Abuja – Kaduna Highway, a force package of NAF’s platforms was dispatched to take out the criminal elements.

He said the location, which the bandits use as logistics base and staging point, where they perpetrated their nefarious activities along the Highway, was decimated by successive air strikes that yielded devastating hits with heavy casualties.

“During the operation, 45 armed bandits were neutralized and their structures housing logistics items and weapons were destroyed. In addition, other armed bandits who escaped during the air strikes were traced to a location 4km southeast of the Kaduna State NYSC Orientation Camp, where 30 of them were killed in air strikes, which also destroyed their structures and weapons there.

“Cumulatively, a total of 6 criminal elements were arrested and 9 assorted armed, 2 extra AK-47 rifles magazines, 13 rounds of ammunition and 6 motorcycles were recovered in the course of the operations within the period,” he said.

Furthermore, he said troops of Operation DELTA SAFE, discovered and immobilized 39 illegal refining sites, 73 ovens, 25 cooking pots/boilers, 18 cooling systems, 27 reservoirs, 39 large dugout pits and 89 storage tanks.

“Consequently, 1,014,000 ltrs of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil; 50,500 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene and One Million, 1,808,500 ltrs of stolen crude oil were recovered in the course of the operations.

“In addition, 18 criminals associated with pipeline vandalism, piracy, illegal oil bunkering and armed robbery were arrested within the period. Also, troops recovered 6 assorted arms, 586 rounds of different caliber of ammunitions, 12 AK-47 rifle magazines as well as 278 pieces of galvanized pipes and 40 wooden boats used for illegal oil bunkering activities in the course of the operations.”

He said all the arrested criminals and recovered items have been handed over to relevant security agencies for further action.

He added the Military High Command commended the sacrifices of its troops in the various theatres of operation and salutes their courage and resilience towards achieving sustainable peace in the country.