NAF airstrikes kill more than 100 terrorists in Niger, Zamfara – DHQ
By Matthew Atungwu
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said that during air interdictions conducted on the border between Niger and Zamfara states, forces have killed over 100 terrorists.
Major General Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media activities, said this on Thursday in Abuja during a report on military activities conducted over the previous week throughout the nation.
He claimed that several rebels in other regions of the nation had also been completely destroyed by the operations, displaying photos from the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF) battle damage assessment.
According to Mr. Buba, multiple arrests and discoveries were made by the military during a surgical operation that was directed towards the residence of an ISWAP terrorist commander in Niger.
He said that other operations conducted in the last week by troops in various theatres killed 73 terrorists and led to the arrest of 182 others.
According to him, the troops also arrested 14 suspected oil thieves and rescued 68 hostages in the South-south, as well as denied oil thieves an estimated N1.212 billion from the illicit business.
“Furthermore, troops recovered 119 assorted weapons and 1,537 assorted ammunition.
Read Also: Troops neutralise 50 terrorists, apprehend 114 in one week– DHQ
“The breakdown is as follows: one GPMG, three PKT guns, 39 AK47 rifles, five locally fabricated rifles, one locally made double barrel gun, one Beretta pistol, four locally made pistols, five RPG bombs, and five pump action guns,” he said.
Also recovered were one short gun, one hand grenade, two Dane guns, one AK47 rifle loaded with 14 rounds of 7.62mm special, and one locally made pistol loaded with live cartridges.
“Others are 586 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, a bag containing 287 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 389 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 141 rounds of 7.62mm special (belted) ammo, 12 rounds of 9mm ammo.
“Also, 113 rounds of live cartridges, 25 empty magazines, 13 vehicles, 3 motorcycles, 10 mobile phones, 2 HH radios, one boating radio, and the sum of N3.3 million amongst other items,” he said.
In the northeast, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation HADIN KAI killed 39 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, arrested 22, rescued 18 hostages, and recovered a large cache of arms.
He said that the soldiers from Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke had apprehended 109 people, killed 12 terrorists, freed 22 hostages who had been kidnapped, and found numerous weapons and ammunition in the North Central region.
According to Mr. Buba, in the Northwest, Operation Hadarin Daji forces killed ten terrorists, detained eleven, and freed eleven hostages, while Operation Whirl Punch troops killed three terrorists, detained 38, and freed 12 hostages.
He also provided an update on Operation Delta Safe’s activities in the Niger Delta, where its soldiers dismantled 63 illegal refining stations and retrieved stolen goods.
In the southeast, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation UDO KA killed three terrorists, arrested nine suspected criminals, and rescued three hostages.
“Troops recovered four locally made pistols, 48 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, six rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, one motorcycle, one HH radio, and the sum of N22,100 among others.
“All recovered items, arrested suspects, and rescued hostages were handed over to the relevant authority for further action,” the defense spokesperson said.
