The Nigerian military on Thursday said more than 5,890 Boko Haram terrorists comprising foot soldiers and their commanders have surrendered with their families to own troops in the North East Zone.
Of these numbers, the military said a total of 565 Boko Haram insurgents comprising 3 commanders were handed over to the Borno State Government in Maiduguri for further management after thorough profiling.
Bernard Onyeuko (Brigadier-General), Acting Director, Defence Media Operations (DMO) said this in Abuja while giving a breakdown of the activities of troops in the last three weeks.
Onyeuko said the Armed Forces of Nigeria sustained their operational engagements across the country against all criminal elements which yielded significant results notwithstanding some negative incidents of the past week.
“This is evident in the reduction of the spate of incidents recorded; the massive surrendering of terrorists in the North East as well as the reduction in IPOB/ESN activities in the South East and economic sabotage in the South-South and South West zones of the Country”, he said.
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He explained that the troops of Operation Hadin Kai repelled terrorists’ attack in Borno State as troops, with the support of the Air Component through air interdiction missions, inflicted heavy casualties on the terrorists and their equipment.
“No fewer than 48 of the terrorists, 20 arrested including fighters and commanders were neutralized and their logistic base and facilities including 3 gun trucks were destroyed in the process.
“A total of 52 assorted arms and 1,977 rounds of 7.62mm assorted caliber ammunition including AK-47 and FN rifles with magazines, hand grenades, commando mortar guns, locally fabricated rifles, Dushka anti-aircraft guns, Dane guns and Nigerian Police rifles among other items were recovered from surrendered terrorists and operations within the period.
“Also, a total of 7 terrorists collaborators/informants and logistics suppliers were arrested and handed over to appropriate prosecuting agencies for necessary actions”, Onyeuko said.
In the Northwest, he disclosed that the troop of operation Hadarin Daji, within the period, arrested criminal informants/collaborators whose activities have been causing setbacks for troops’ operations in the zone.
According to him, a total of 15 armed bandits, 2 armed robbers were neutralized, 13 bandits informants were arrested, 15 motorcycles were recovered, 2 AK 47 rifles recovered, 33 kidnap victims rescued, 66 criminal elements were arrested and some vandalized railway sleepers/tracks were recovered within the period in focus.
To ensure the protection of the economic assets, the acting director informed that the troops of Operation Delta Safe within the period in focus conducted series of anti-illegal oil operations in their area of responsibility.
“During the operations, troops discovered and deactivated a total of 33 illegal refining sites with 46 illegal refining units, 94 boiler ovens and 9 reservoirs. Also, a cumulative total of 139 metal storage tanks and 63 dugout pits, all laden with 440.2 barrels and 1,637,500litres of illegally refined AGO as well as 62.2 barrels and 572,000litres of stolen crude oil and shelter stations were discovered and treated accordingly”, he said.
Other illegally refined products intercepted and immobilized according to him, were a wooden boat used for transportation of illegal oil products; 321 polythene bags, 16 drums and 15 jerry cans laden with illegally refined petroleum products, among several others.
As part of effirysbto restore peace in troubled Plateau State, Onyeuko informed that the Chief of Defence Staff General Leo Irabor undertook a working visit to Jos on 1 September 2021.
He said the CDS held a stakeholder meeting with the state governor Simon Lalong, all the traditional rulers, religious leaders and community leaders in the state on the security challenges in Plateau State.
The discussions according to him were largely successful as all stakeholders pledged their support for peace in the state.
Onyeuko, therefore, assured citizens that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remains steadfast in the fight against all forms of criminality in different parts of the Country.
He urged the continued support of citizens in availing the Armed Forces with credible and timely information that will facilitate proactive engagements in all the theatres of operation across the country.
