The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed the arrest of a notorious gunrunner and kidnap kingpin, Buhari Umar, who has been terrorising several states, including Gombe and Bauchi. The arrest was part of the military’s ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity in the country.

In a briefing to journalists on Thursday, Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, provided an update on the military’s operations for the month of April.

Kangye revealed that troops had successfully apprehended a five-man kidnapping syndicate in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

The suspects, identified as Hassan Mohammed, Saleh Sani, Idi Yusuf, Adamu Danmai, and Hassan Bello, were arrested during a targeted operation.

The military also reported the elimination of a number of terrorists, including Nkwachi Eze, also known as Onowu, who had been on the military’s wanted list. Eze, who was responsible for coordinating a series of attacks and kidnappings across the Southeast, was killed during the operation.

In addition, 173 kidnapped hostages were rescued by the troops, and more than 204 terrorists and their families surrendered to military forces.

The army also arrested 430 suspected oil thieves and other criminal elements in April.

General Kangye further highlighted that the troops of Operation DELTA SAFE thwarted oil theft operations worth over N1.93 billion within just one week.

In the course of these operations, the troops recovered 1,009,733 liters of stolen crude oil, 304,811 liters of illegally refined AGO, and other petroleum products, including 19,875 liters of PMS and 3,480 liters of DPK.

Additionally, 351 crude oil cooking ovens, 418 dugout pits, 30 boats, 9 speedboats, and 721 drums used in illegal refining activities were destroyed.

Several other items linked to criminal activities were also seized, including pumping machines, drilling machines, motorcycles, tricycles, mobile phones, and 42 vehicles. The troops also recovered a substantial amount of arms, including automatic weapons, RPG tubes, machine guns, and locally fabricated guns, along with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and ammunition.

The military’s efforts in combating criminal activities and insecurity across the country continue to intensify as troops work to restore peace and stability in affected regions.