The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Philip Agbese, has commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their recent successes against terrorism and banditry, declaring that the military has moved beyond rhetoric and is now mounting sustained pressure on terrorist groups across the country.

Agbese, who spoke in an interview yesterday, praised the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle; Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; and Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, for what he described as effective strategic and operational leadership.

“Nigeria’s Armed Forces have gone beyond rhetorics. We are now deadly threats to terrorists,” he said.

He said recent operations in the North-East and North-West demonstrated a shift from a largely reactive approach to sustained offensive operations targeting terrorist formations, logistics networks and support structures.

Figures released by the Defence Headquarters showed that troops conducted thousands of operations across the country in July and August, neutralising 1,487 terrorists and insurgents, rescuing 777 kidnapped victims and arresting 354 suspects.

The operations also resulted in the recovery of 91 firearms, 1,331 rounds of ammunition and 44 improvised explosive devices.

In the North-East, troops under Operation Hadin Kai continued offensive operations against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province elements. The Defence Headquarters said the operation in August resulted in the neutralisation of 114 terrorists, arrest of 146 suspects and rescue of 60 kidnapped victims.

In the North-West, troops under Operation Fansan Yamma sustained operations across Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states, targeting terrorist hideouts and logistics networks.

Agbese attributed the gains to improved intelligence, air and ground operations, as well as greater coordination among the military services and other security agencies.

He commended Matawalle for his role in coordinating the defence establishment and supporting the Federal Government’s response to insecurity, while praising Oluyede for strengthening cooperation among the Army, Navy, Air Force, police, intelligence agencies and other stakeholders.

He also credited Shaibu with renewed operational focus in the Nigerian Army, particularly in the North-East.

The Chief of Army Staff recently said Operation Hadin Kai had neutralised 1,993 terrorists, arrested 2,645 suspects and rescued 1,778 civilians during the period covered by the Army’s operational assessment. He also reported the recovery of weapons and ammunition and the gradual return of some displaced communities, including Mallam Fatori, Kukawa and Ngoshe.

Agbese said the impact of military operations should not be measured only by the number of terrorists killed or arrested, but also by the disruption of their command, logistics and recruitment structures and the rescue of civilians held captive.

He said the increasing surrender of insurgents was particularly significant because it reduced the manpower available to terrorist groups while giving security agencies access to intelligence about their networks.

“The rescue of hundreds of innocent Nigerians, many of them women and children who had spent months in captivity, speaks volumes about the commitment and professionalism of our troops,” he said.

Agbese, however, cautioned against complacency, calling for sustained investment in modern equipment, intelligence, surveillance, logistics and the welfare of security personnel.

He urged Nigerians to provide credible information to security agencies, stressing that community intelligence remained essential to locating terrorist hideouts and identifying their logistics networks and collaborators.

He also called for stronger cooperation among security agencies and state and local authorities, particularly in areas where terrorist and bandit groups operate across administrative boundaries.

While acknowledging that significant security challenges remain, Agbese said sustained military pressure, improved coordination and intelligence-driven operations could further weaken terrorist networks and help restore normal life to affected communities.