Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) have in the last two weeks eliminated 30 terrorists and arrested 48 others in various operations across the North-Central and North West regions of Nigeria.
The troops of Operation Hadin Kai, DHQ said, have also rescued 131 abducted victims, including two additional Chibok Schoolgirls during operations in the North East.
Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Musa Danmadami, said on Thursday in Abuja at the bi-weekly news conference on the operations of the AFN killed 40 terrorists, arrested 25 terrorists and eight logistics suppliers in the North East region.
General Danmadani added that 510 Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and members of their families, comprising 54 adult male, 164 adult female and 292 children surrendered to troops at different locations in the region.
He said that in the North Central, troops of Operation Safe Haven and other operations conducted operational activities at different locations and villages in Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Niger States as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) neutralised five terrorists, arrested 10 and rescued three abducted civilians.
In North West, Danmadami said the land and air component of Operation Hadarin Daji had sustained offensive operations on terrorists’ enclaves, camps and hideouts within Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Zamfara States.
He said the troops neutralised 25 terrorists, arrested 30 informants, six terrorists logistics suppliers, two gunrunners and rescued four kidnapped victims
He said the troops had between April 21 and April 25 engaged a fierce fire fight, neutralised 14 terrorists including a notorious terrorist kingpin.
He said that large cache of arms was recovered while two suspected bandits drug peddlers were apprehended at Wazata village in birni Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were notorious suppliers of ammunition and hard drugs to terrorists.
“Troops recovered 15 rounds of 7.62mm special, eight mobile phones, 105 wraps of substances suspected to be cannabis, 1,032 tablets of tramadol and the sum of N82,800.
“Similarly, on April 23, troops intercepted three terrorist logistics suppliers with one vehicle, and one canter truck loaded with 87 bags of rice at Gusami and Mada villages in Birin Magaji and Gusau Local Government Areas of Zamfara.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the bags of rice belong to a terrorist kingpin on the watch list of security agents,” he said.
According to him, troops recovered 16 AK47 rifles, 15 dane guns, six QJC 88 AA guns, one QJC 88 barrel, one SMG, two DSHKAA guns, two NSVT AA guns, one GMPG.
“Troops also recovered one pump action gun, two local made double barrel gun and one local made short gun.
“Also recovered were 51 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, 26 rounds of 12.7 x 108mm, 280 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 16 refilled rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 1 round of 9mm ammunition, 74 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 77 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammo and 182 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammunition,
“15 empty cases of 7.62mm special, 14 empty cases 155mm ammunition, 46 assorted bullets, four Improvised Explosive Devices, 48 AK47 rifles magazines, 33 snipper rifle magazines, among different calibre of bombs and others were recovered too,” he said.
Danmadami also said that the troops on April 20, apprehended five terrorists and rescued 121 civilians comprising 72 children and 49 females including two Chibok schoolgirls who were on serial two and 103 of the list in Borno.
He said that the troops in a fierce gun fight, neutralised a Boko Haram terrorists commander and nine other terrorists on the same day in Sambisa forest.
According to him, the air component of Operation Hadin Kai conducted series of reconnaissance mission at terrorist hideout, enclaves and camps.
“This is in support of ground operations at villages within Konduga, Bama, Mafa, Maiduguri and Damboa Local Government Areas as well as Sambisa Forest in Borno.
“Overhead these locations, were observed to be active terrorist scrambling for cover under the vegetation.
“Consequently, these locations were engaged with bombs and rockets and the battle damage assessment revealed that several terrorists were neutralised with their logistics and structures destroyed in the strikes,” he added.
