Troops neutralises 151 terrorists, arrests 456, rescues 76 hostages in two weeks

The Nigerian Army said its troops have neutralized 151 terrorists, arrested 456 terrorists and arrested 45 perpetrators of oil theft in different operations across the country over the last two weeks.

The military also rescued 76 kidnapped hostages and denied oil theft of the sum of N1,011,851,250 only.

Spokesman of the Army Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, in a statement on Thursday said that the ongoing operations reflect the commitment of the military to end terrorism and insurgency in the country.

Buba noted that some individuals engaged in terrorist and insurgency activities were exploiting these circumstances for personal gain through illegal mining and other unlawful activities.

“For instances, the foot soldiers carryout the illegal mining from mining pits, while their sponsors are in the cities and town, moving around as normal citizens to dispose the proceeds,” Buba said.

“The situation underscores the importance of ongoing military operations which is critical to the nations effort to achieving peace and security. The military is up to the challenge and more than ever before, the outcome is not in doubt.”

The troops also recovered an impressive cache of weapons and ammunition, including 62 AK47 rifles, 7 pump-action guns, 19 dane guns, 3 Beretta pistols, 10 locally fabricated rifles, and 5 locally made pistols.

Furthermore, they seized 399 IED detonator primers, 225 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 10 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 13 rounds of 9mm ammo, 20 rounds of 7.62mm x 54mm, 57 cartridges, and 49 magazines. Additionally, 21 vehicles, 4 motorcycles, one tricycle, 3 mobile phones, and a sum of N3,194,450.00 were recovered.

In the Niger Delta region, the army discovered and destroyed 21 dugout pits, 56 boats, 138 storage tanks, 235 cooking ovens, 6 pumping machines, one outboard engine, 2 speedboats, and 89 illegal refining sites. They also seized a sum of N13,950.

The army also recovered approximately 1,205,950 liters of stolen crude oil, 452,910 liters of illegally refined AGO (Automotive Gas Oil), 22,650 liters of PMS (Premium Motor Spirit), and 3,000 liters of DPK (Dual Purpose Kerosene).