Nigerian Army Records Major Wins in Nationwide Operations Against Terrorists and Criminals
The Nigerian Army has significantly escalated its counter-terrorism and anti-crime operations across the country, achieving “remarkable successes” in multiple regions, including the capture of a massive cache of light machine gun ammunition in Zamfara State.
These intensified operations underscore the Army’s resolve to secure the nation against various criminal elements.
The military’s focused efforts in the North-West yielded critical results against bandits and terrorists. In Zamfara State (Anka LGA), troops neutralized one terrorist and recovered an AK-47 rifle, three magazines loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition, and a motorcycle. A significant success was recorded in Kebbi State (Ngaski), where troops thwarted a coordinated attack on five communities, recovering over 700 rounds of 7.62mmPKT ammunition, three motorcycles, and a kidnapped victim after a fierce, three-hour encounter.
Furthermore, in Kano State, personnel apprehended three suspected kidnappers and a terrorist collaborator who were on the security wanted list. Troops also successfully thwarted kidnapping attempts across Katsina and Plateau States, resulting in the rescue of three victims and the arrest of four bandits’ informants and logistics suppliers.
The Army maintained relentless pressure on insurgents in the North-East. In Borno State (Mafa LGA), troops foiled an ISWAP assault, neutralizing two terrorists and recovering two AK-47 rifles. Similarly, in Yobe State (Gujba), an ambush conducted with hybrid forces and local hunters eliminated two terrorists, with two motorcycles and logistics supplies seized.
Crucially, the Air and Artillery Components of Operation HADIN KAI played a vital role; surveillance assets in Mallam Fatori, Borno State, tracked and disrupted a planned incursion from the Lake Chad region using precision fire, in coordination with the Republic of Niger Air Force. Moreover, a cordon and search operation in Monguno, Borno State, resulted in the arrest of 13 suspects without credible identification, effectively dismantling the terrorist logistics network.
In the South-South, the Nigerian Army sustained aggressive operations against economic saboteurs and criminal syndicates. A joint anti-bunkering operation in Enugu North LGA uncovered an illegal oil dump site at an abandoned petrol station, leading to the arrest of two suspects and the discovery of over 90,000 litres of illegally refined products. Related operations in Delta and Rivers States resulted in the arrest of six suspects and the destruction of multiple illegal refining sites containing thousands of litres of stolen crude oil.
Collaborating with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Army intensified anti-narcotics operations across Bayelsa and Lagos States, arresting 32 drug dealers and seizing large quantities of cannabis sativa.
Finally, in the FCT (Gwagwalada), vigilant troops intercepted a suspected arms courier with a Beretta pistol and 9{mm} ammunition, underscoring the Army’s effort to dismantle criminal networks fueling insecurity.
