Abuja, Nigeria — In a significant escalation of military operations, the Defence Headquarters reported on Friday that troops have killed 152 terrorists and arrested 109 others over the past week. The operations also led to the destruction of two key terrorist strongholds in Katsina and Kaduna states.
The Director of Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, disclosed in a statement that the successful operations underscore the military’s ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal elements across the country. The targeted enclaves included the Sadiku stronghold at Tsora Hill in Safana Local Government Area, Katsina State, and the Yusuf enclave in Yadi Forest, Giwa Local Government Area, Kaduna State.
“The war against terrorists, insurgents, violent extremists, and others perpetrating insecurity in the country rages on, and troops are sustaining the momentum to achieve victory,” said Buba. “Indeed, the armed forces are steadily progressing towards the goal of destroying all these elements.”
Buba highlighted that the military is continuously learning and adapting its strategies to better confront the threats posed by these terror groups. He noted that the recent operations represent a decisive push against terrorist commanders, effectively neutralizing their ability to operate freely.
“During the week, troops carried out surgical operations against two prominent terrorist commanders and decimated their strongholds, namely, Sadiku enclave in Tsora Hill in Safana LGA of Katsina State and Alhaji Yusuf enclave in Yadi Forest in Giwa LGA of Kaduna State,” Buba detailed.
In addition to the successful counter-terrorism operations, the military also made significant gains in the fight against crude oil theft, recovering products valued at N795 million.
The military’s achievements over the week also included the rescue of 91 hostages from terrorist captivity, further showcasing the effectiveness of ongoing operations.
Major General Buba called on the public to continue supporting the troops in their efforts to secure the country and eliminate the threats posed by criminal elements.