About 1,081 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have surrendered to the Nigerian troops in the last two weeks in the Northeast, the Nigerian Military has disclosed.
The military said troops also recovered a total of 1,499 rounds of different calibres of ammunition, 122 assorted arms, while a total of 8 gun trucks of the terrorists have been destroyed by troops of Operation Hadin Kai in the region.
Brigadier-General Benard Onyeuko, Acting Director, Defence Media Operations (DMO) made this known in Abuja while giving a breakdown of the activities of troops. He said the surrendered terrorists were properly profiled and handed over to appropriate authorities for necessary actions.
Onyeuko further revealed that troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in the Nirthwest theatre of Operation killed a total of 33 armed bandits while 19 of them and their collaborators as well as armed herdsman were arrested.
“Thirty-seven (37) assorted arms, including AK-47 rifles, PKT machine guns and GPMGs as well as 698 rounds of different calibres of ammunitions, 22 motorcycles and 899 rustled livestock among other items and vehicles were recovered; while 28 kidnapped civilians were rescued in the course of the operations. Additionally, 59 extra magazines of assorted arms and 21 motorcycles were recovered from bandits,” he added.
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In Operation Whirl Stroke, he said troops’ operational efforts resulted in neutralization of a total of 12 criminals while 26 criminal elements including 16 migrant armed bandits from Niger Republic were arrested.
The Acting Director said anti-illegal oil production operations and other non-kinetic operations to forestall activities of vandals and other economic saboteurs in the South-South Zone were sustained by troops Operation Delta Safe. He said some of these operations were executed at different locations in villages, creeks and towns in Ikwere, Port Harcourt, Emouha, Ahoada East and Bonny LGAs of Rivers State.
He disclosed that a total of 896,500 litres and 70 polythene bags of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil were recovered in the process. He added that a total of 11,000 litres of illegally refined Dual Purpose Kerosene and 689,000 litres of stolen crude oil were recovered in the course of the operations.
“In addition, 28 pieces of galvanized pipes, 3 tanker trucks and 12 wooden boats used for illegal oil bunkering activities were recovered and handled appropriately in the course of the operations,” he further said.
“Troops have continued to maintain their operational tempos in all the theatres of operation to frustrate terrorists, bandits, economic saboteurs and other criminal elements across the Country. Also, the Air Components have continued to dominate all operation theatres with constant aerial patrols to forestall criminal activities across the Country,” he added.
