The armed forces will continue to degrade the ability of the criminals to carry out small scale attacks which are intended to create panic in localities
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says troops have in the last one week eliminated no fewer than 254 terrorists and apprehended 368 others in different theatres of operation across the country.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this known while giving update on the operations of the armed forces, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
Buba said the ongoing counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations had prevented terrorist elements from accomplishing their strategic objectives.
According to him, the armed forces will continue to degrade the ability of the criminals to carry out small scale attacks which are intended to create panic in localities across operational theatres in the country.
“During the week under review, troops neutralised 254 and arrested 264 of them including 104 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 73 kidnapped hostages.
“Troops also recovered 378 assorted weapons and 4,705 assorted ammunition comorising 131 AK47 rifles, two FN rifles, two G3 rifle, three SMGs, 69 locally fabricated guns and 57 pump action guns.
“They also include seven pistols, 14 locally fabricated pistols, five revolver rifles, four revolver pistols, 45 dane guns, four locally made single barrel, and two hand grenades, seven RPG Launchers, one RPG bomb, one locally made double barrel gun, 17 dane gun double barrel and IEDs.
“Others are: 2,444 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,712 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 80 rounds of 9mm ammo, 61 rounds of 5.45 x 39mm ammo, 6 rounds of 0.44 inch ammo, 415 live cartridges, 10 empty cases of cartridges, 11 magazines, 18 vehicles, 40 motorcycles, 74 mobile phones, four baofeng radios and the sum of N748,430 amongst other items,” he said.
In the North East, Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised 63 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, arrested 13 and recovered 47 AK47 rifles, among large cache of arms and ammunition.
He added that a total of 81 terrorists fighters and their family members comprising 28 adult males, 78 adult female and 147 children surrendered to troops in Bama and Damboa Local Government Areas of Borno during the week.
In the North Central, he said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke eliminated 35 insurgents, arrested 72 others and rescued five kidnapped hostage across Benue, Plateau and Taraba States within the week.