From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced that over 430 individuals involved in oil theft, terrorism, and other criminal activities across Nigeria were apprehended by military troops within the last month.
Additionally, troops rescued 173 kidnapped hostages and recorded the surrender of more than 204 terrorists along with their family members during this period.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, detailed the achievements of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in ongoing nationwide operations.
“In the last month, our gallant troops neutralized several terrorists, including a notorious leader identified as Nkwachi Eze, also known as Onowu, who had been on the military’s wanted list for orchestrating numerous attacks and kidnappings across the South East,” Kangye stated.
He added that one Buhari Umar, a suspected arms dealer and leader of a kidnapping syndicate operating in Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, and Kaduna States, was also apprehended.
Furthermore, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE arrested a five-man kidnapping gang in Lafia LGA of Nasarawa State. Those arrested include Hassan Mohammed, Saleh Sani, Idi Yusuf, Adamu Danmai, and Hassan Bello.
Major General Kangye noted that troops of Operation DELTA SAFE foiled oil theft operations worth over ₦1.93 billion during the week under review. Recovered items include over 1 million litres of stolen crude oil, 304,811 litres of illegally refined AGO, 3,480 litres of DPK, 19,875 litres of PMS, and 1,600 litres of engine oil. In the course of the operations, the military also destroyed 351 crude oil cooking ovens, 418 dugout pits, 30 boats, nine speedboats, 160 storage tanks, 721 drums, and 95 illegal refining sites.
Additional recoveries included pumping and drilling machines, motorcycles, tricycles, mobile phones, 42 vehicles, a large cache of automatic weapons, RPG tubes, machine guns, locally fabricated firearms, improvised explosive devices, assorted live cartridges, and ammunition.
Major General Kangye reaffirmed the Armed Forces’ commitment to protecting the nation’s territorial integrity and ensuring public safety.
“We have launched several key operations aimed at combating insurgency, terrorism, and other threats to our communities. These operations are yielding significant progress, including the destruction of terrorists’ camps and the rehabilitation of civilians affected by conflict,” he said.
He commended the troops for their professionalism and bravery and emphasized the role of community cooperation and international partnerships in enhancing intelligence and operational effectiveness.