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The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced that Nigerian troops, in various operations across the northern regions of the country, successfully killed 96 terrorists and apprehended 227 suspects within the past week.
Among those arrested was a notable terrorist commander, Usman Maisaje, who is reported to be a close associate of Kachalla Boka, a high-profile terrorist leader currently on the wanted list.
In a statement on Friday, Major General Buba Edward, the Director of Defence Media Operations, highlighted the significance of Maisaje’s capture. He revealed that Maisaje has been cooperating with security forces, providing crucial intelligence to aid ongoing military operations.
“During this week’s operations, troops neutralized 96 terrorists, arrested 227 individuals, and rescued 157 kidnapped victims,” Buba stated.
He added, “Troops in the North Central operational theatre captured Usman Maisaje, a notorious terrorist commander and associate of wanted terrorist leader Kachalla Boka. His arrest has proved valuable in gathering intelligence, aiding further military efforts.”
In addition to these northern operations, Buba noted that troops in the South-South region intercepted crude oil worth an estimated N712 million and arrested 45 suspected oil thieves.
“In the South-South, our forces prevented the theft of crude oil valued at N712,065,450.00. They also arrested 45 individuals involved in oil theft,” he continued.
Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed several illegal refining sites, including 4 dugout pits, 48 boats, 52 drums, and 38 storage tanks. They also seized 55 cooking ovens, two speedboats, a tricycle, six vehicles, six mobile phones, and shut down 60 illegal refining operations. The military recovered 712,535 liters of stolen crude oil and 76,800 liters of illegally refined diesel (AGO).
Additionally, troops seized 71 assorted weapons and 1,463 rounds of ammunition. These included 50 AK-47 rifles, 16 fabricated rifles, 5 Dane guns, 5 pump-action shotguns, and 5 locally made pistols, along with other arms.
“The recovered ammunition includes 784 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 403 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 164 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, and 53 rounds of 9mm ammo. Other recovered items include 67 live cartridges, one radio, 19 vehicles, 23 motorcycles, 35 mobile phones, N4,087,630 in cash, and 46,000 CFA,” Major General Buba concluded.
