Troops kill 216 terrorists, bandits, kidnappers in one week, arrest 332 others, rescue 161 kidnapped hostages – DHQ

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Defence Headquarters(DHQ), said soldiers engaged in the counter insurgency and other internal security operations across the country have killed 216 terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals disturbing the peace in the country in one week.

Director Defence Media Operations(DMO), Major General Edward Buba, who made this known, said the soldiers also arrested 332 terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, 24 oil thieves and rescued 161 kidnapped hostages.

Gen Buba, while assuring that military is going to continue to be very kinetic and strong against the terrorist in ongoing counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations across the country, vowed to banish and defeat terrorism from the nation rather than bow to it.

Buba, in a statement on the successes of military operations in the last one week, said “Troops neutralised 216 and arrested 332 persons. Troops also arrested 24 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 161 kidnapped hostages. In the SS, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of Four Hundred and Forty Eight Million Five Hundred Fifty Seven Thousand Five Hundred and Ninty Naira (N448,557,590.00) only.

“Furthermore, troops recovered 234 assorted weapons and 5,994 assorted ammunition. The breakdown as follows: 131 AK47 rifles, 3 PKT guns, one M16 rifle, 43 locally fabricated gun, 21 dane guns, one 105mm gun, 2 automatic pump action guns, 18 locally fabricated pistols, 8 single barrel guns, 2 automatic pump action guns, one LG4 bomb, one MG skeleton, 3 explosive IED case, one MOWAG APC, one 81mm mortar tripod stand

“Others are: 3,120 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 2,195 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 211 rounds of 9mm ammo, 99 rounds of 7.62 x 25mm ammo, 467 live cartridges, one rifle butt, 15 magazines, 2 baofeng radios, 10 vehicles, 38 motorcycles, 43 mobile phones and the sum of N871,500.00 amongst other items.

“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 97 dugout pits, 6 boats, 20 storage tanks, 2 receivers, 16 drums and 7 vehicles. Other items recovered incl 174 cooking ovens, one pumping machine and 8 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 533,127 litres of stolen crude oil and 24,520 litres of illegally refined AGO.

“Troops are maintaining the momentum in neutralizing the terrorist leaders and commanders. Indeed, we remain focused in fighting for the basic safety and security of citizens of this country.