Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
Several terrorists were neutralized between March 10 and 20, 2025, during military operations across various theatres of war against insurgency, terrorists and crude oil thieves in Nigeria.
The Defence Media Operations spokesperson Major General Markus Kangye, who made the disclosure on Thursday, said that enemies collaborators were also apprehended, while some kidnapped victims were rescued.
The week also witnessed the handover of rehabilitated terrorists by the military to the Borno State Government. “Gunrunners, oil theft collaborators, and other violent extremists were also apprehended.”
Several close air support, armed reconnaissance patrols as well as air interdiction missions were conducted by the Air Component during the week in support of the operations..
Troops also apprehended 23 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued some kidnapped hostages.
In the South South, troops foiled oil theft estimated to the tune of about Four Hundred and Sixty One Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty Three Thousand, Eight Hundred and Sixty Eight Naira (N461,783,868.00) only.
He gave the breakdown as follows: 247,629 litres of stolen crude oil and 198,374 litres of illegally refined AGO. Additionally, troops discovered and destroyed 36 crude oil cooking ovens, 42 dugout pits, 28 boats, 33 storage tanks, 65 drums, and 21 illegal refining sites.
Other items recovered include pumping machines, tricycles, motorcycles, mobile phones, and some vehicles, amongst others.
In a related development, troops recovered huge cache of assorted arms and ammunition during the week. The weapons recovered include AK47 rifles, locally fabricated guns, Dane guns, pump action, locally fabricated pistols, and RPG tubes, amongst others. The ammunitions recovered include various kinds of 7,62mm ammo as well as RPG bombs.
Scores of terrorists comprising adult males, adult females, and some children surrendered to troops within the theatre of operation following the ongoing onslaught by our gallant troops.
Specifically, offensive operations. Between 10 – 18 March 2025, by troops in conjunction with Hybrid Forces, including ambushes, fighting patrols and clearance operations in Gwoza, Dikwa, Chibok, Bama, Konduga, Damboa, Ngazai, Monguno, Abadam and Guzamala LGAs of Borno State as well as Gujba LGA of Yobe States respectively yielded desired results.
During the operations, some terrorists were neutralized, others were apprehended, while some kidnapped hostages were rescued, the spokesperson said.
They also recovered Ak47 rifles, locally fabricated rifles, as well as assorted rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition. Also recovered were AK47 magazines, IEDs, several unexploded ordnance devices, as well as 2 vehicles and terrorists’ motorcycles.
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