The Defence Headquarters has announced that Nigerian troops deployed across multiple theatres of operation neutralised 317 terrorists and criminal elements, rescued 221 abducted civilians, and arrested 314 suspects during coordinated nationwide operations carried out between May 1 and 25, 2026. 

The figures were presented by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, at a monthly press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, where he said the military sustained an unrelenting and comprehensive offensive across all operational zones throughout the month.

Onoja said that in the North-East, troops of Operation HADIN KAI recorded the most significant gains of the month, neutralising 73 Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters, arresting 159 suspects, and rescuing 112 civilians while 18 terrorists surrendered to troops following sustained pressure.

Among the key operations highlighted was the repelling of an ISWAP assault in Magumeri on May 7, during which scores of attackers were neutralised and weapons including PKT anti-aircraft guns and AK-47 rifles were recovered. Troops also intercepted a mass kidnapping along the Buratai-Kamuya Road in Biu Local Government Area on May 23, forcing militants to abandon eight vehicles and 92 captives comprising 52 men, 33 women, and 7 children.

Earlier in the month, between May 8 and 14, troops had rescued 12 women and children who were abducted from Ngoshe, Borno State, in March 2026.

In the North-West, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA killed 24 terrorists and arrested 13 suspects across Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, with 22 civilians rescued during the period. A major operation on May 8 in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State resulted in the freeing of 32 kidnapped victims and the recovery of 26 livestock from a terrorist enclave.

Troops also arrested a significant arms trafficker in Batsari Local Government Area who had been supplying weapons to bandits operating in the region. In the North-Central, Onoja noted a notable breakthrough with the discovery and dismantling of an illegal arms manufacturing facility in Plateau State.

In the South-South, troops of Operation DELTA SAFE intensified efforts against economic saboteurs and oil thieves, with three illegal refining sites dismantled and 21,910 litres of stolen petroleum products recovered during the month. The military’s operations across the South-East were also part of the coordinated nationwide sweep, with troops maintaining pressure on criminal networks operating in the zone. In total, 93 weapons were recovered across all theatres during the period, further degrading the operational capacity of armed groups.

Onoja said the results reflected the military’s sustained pressure on terrorist networks, criminal gangs, and economic saboteurs and reaffirmed the Defence Headquarters’ commitment to securing Nigeria’s territorial integrity and protecting civilians. He said operations would continue across all theatres until terrorist groups, kidnapping syndicates, and other criminal networks are fully dismantled.