Insecurity: Troops Kill 51 Terrorists, Bandits, ESN Militants In Fire-fights

TROOPS fighting to rid the country of criminal elements, terrorists/bandits and economic saboteurs have eliminated 51 of such elements in several operations across Nigeria, while also rescuing 94 kidnapped civilians.

210 criminals, including terrorists, their collaborators, armed bandits, perpetrators of oil theft, IPOB/ESN militants, among others, were also arrested during various counter operations.

This is even as troops in the Niger Delta discovered and destroyed 30 illegal refining sites, 125 storage tanks, 227 ovens, 11 dugout pits and 21 wooden boats, while denying oil thieves over N500 million worth of stolen crude.

Deputy Director, Coordination, in the Directorate of Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Abdullahi Ibrahim, who disclosed this on behalf of the Director, Defence Media Operations, yesterday, equally stated that troops recovered 1,675,700 liters of crude oil, 74,500 liters of Automotive Gas Oil, 10 vehicles, 20 motorcycles, eight weapons and 330 assorted ammunition from economic saboteurs.

He said: “In the North East, troops neutralized 24 Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists, captured 10, apprehended 39 collaborators and logistics suppliers and rescued 35 kidnapped civilians.

“In the North West, troops neutralized 16 terrorists, arrested 38 suspected criminals, rescued 38 kidnapped civilians, one Boko Haram terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorist equally surrendered to the troops.

“Troops in the North Central neutralized seven terrorists and arrested 44 suspected criminals. Troops equally rescued six kidnapped civilians

“Troops of Operation Delta Safe while conducting Operation Octopus Grip equally denied perpetrators of oil theft crude oil products valued at N503.66million (N503, 660,500.00).

“In the South East, troops neutralized four Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network criminals and arrested 37 suspected criminals as well as rescued 15 kidnapped civilians.

“Troops recovered four Ak-47 rifles, two AK-47 magazines, five pump action rifles, two locally made pistols, one dane gun, eight launcher tubes, 13 live cartridges, two locally made hand grenades, one bag of explosives, IED wires, one bow and arrow, two trucks loaded with vandalised railways sleepers, four vehicles, six motorcycle, 32 mobile phones, one tricycle, and a sum of N15,000.”

Continuing Brigadier General Ibrahim said: “In the North East, the air component of Operation Hadin Kai conducted air interdiction operation at Jango in Borno State. The location was observed to be active with terrorist’s activities.

Accordingly, the location was bombarded and feedback information revealed that several terrorists were neutralized with their structure destroyed in the air strike.

Also, between 22 and 26 June 2023, the air component of Operation Hadin Kai conducted air interdiction operation at terrorist’s hideout at Tumbun Shitu, Arina Chiki, a known terrorist hideout in Southern Tumbuns of Borno State.

Also, the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, killed scores of Boko Haram fighters, including their women and children, in Sambisa Forest near the North East of Bama Local Government Area of Borno State on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.

It was gathered that the ISWAP terrorist group coordinated the raid at the hideouts of Boko Haram in Bula Alhaji Garwaye.

This is even as the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, on Wednesday, killed over a dozen ISWAP terrorists in another deadly airstrike.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in Lake Chad and other multiple sources, told Vanguard.

It was gathered that the Boko Haram fighters and their families were among those who escaped the week-long airstrikes coordinated by the Nigerian military’s Air Component Command of Operation Hadin Kai.

Sources said the ISWAP group stormed the hideouts of Boko Haram terrorists in Bula Alhaji Garwaye, Sambisa Forest on motorcycles before they opened fire at every one spotted within the area.

“”They killed all the women and their children. Even little babies were not spared. The dead bodies could be more than 50. There are many of them. The dead bodies are scattered all over the place as we speak,” the source said, adding that only a few fighters escaped, while their properties, motorcycles, bicycles and rifles were looted by the attackers. They later burnt the hamlet of Boko Haram and left the scene.

In a related development, the Air Force, also on Wednesday, killed over a dozen Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists in another deadly airstrike.

“The airstrike occurred at a location near Marte, a local government headquarters in Borno state, North East Nigeria.

“The insurgents were neutralised in a precise, intelligence-led air strike carried out by the air component command of Operation Hadin Kai in Tumbum Shittu.

“It was gathered that the military airstrikes were carried out, following surveillance that captured mass convergence of terrorists in the area.

“This air operation was aimed to neutralize the strongholds of the ISWAP,” an intelligence source said.
In the South-South, the air component of operation Delta Safe conducted air interdiction operation at Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The location was observed to be active with illegal refining sites, equipment, reservoirs and wooden boats loaded with illegal refining products.