The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Thursday claimed that security agents in the north east and north west regions of Nigeria killed over forty terrorists and apprehended over fifty in the last couple of weeks.’
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major-General Musa Danmadami disclosed this at a bi-weekly press briefing on the operations of the Armed Forces today (Thursday) in Abuja.
In the North East, Danmadami stated that troops of operation Hadin Kai had between October 20 and November 2 captured 27 suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents and neutralised 19., and recovered arms and ammunition.
According to him, the air component had on October 21 conducted an air interdiction mission on a terrorist convoy movement along Tunbum Aliyu, near Lake Chad, a terrorist location Southwest of Maiduguri, Borno State.
He said the strikes eliminated several terrorists as well as seven gun trucks and other materials.
“Similarly, based on credible intelligence of terrorists hibernating in enclaves in Abulum and Njibul near Sambisa forest, the air component struck the locations simultaneously and eliminated scores of terrorists while the injured ones were observed to have scampered for safety.
“Also, troops in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force on Oct. 22, nabbed one suspect in possession of 67 Permanent Voter Cards at an IDPs Camp in Shuwari town in Maiduguri Municipal Council of Borno.
“Also, in the same camp, a known terrorist, Lawan Yashin, who attempted to escape upon sighting troops was neutralised.
“During the period in focus, a total of 145 Boko Haram Terrorists and their families comprising 30 adult males, 33 adult females and 82 children surrendered to troops at different locations within the North East theatre of operation,” Danmadami said.
In North West, the Defence spokesperson said troops of operations Hadarin Daji and Whirl Punch neutralised 25 terrorists, arrested 18 and rescued 19 civilians in different operations, adding that the troops also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition of different calibre as well as 441 rustled cattle.