13,000 Terrorists Killed, 17,000 Arrested Since Tinubu Took Office, Says Minister

Nigeria has reported significant gains in its fight against terrorism since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023. According to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, over 13,500 terrorists and criminal elements have been neutralized, while more than 17,000 suspects have been arrested across the country.

Speaking in a recent interview, Idris revealed that over 9,800 hostages, including women and children, have been rescued from terrorist groups during the period. He emphasized that the government’s operations target extremism and criminality rather than any particular religion, dismissing claims that violence in the country is religiously motivated. The minister’s statement comes amid rising international scrutiny over human rights concerns in Nigeria. Critics, particularly in the United States, have raised allegations of systematic persecution of Christians. However, Idris and the Presidency have rejected these claims, insisting that the figures highlight progress in counterterrorism efforts and improved security coordination. Supporting Idris’s claims, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, stated that over 124,000 insurgents and their dependents have surrendered, handing over more than 11,000 weapons to authorities since May 2023. Similarly, the Defence Minister reported that thousands of bandits have been neutralized and illegal firearms recovered. The Tinubu administration maintains that these efforts have contributed to a significant reduction in terror-related deaths nationwide. According to government sources, the incidence of terrorism-related fatalities has dropped by 81 percent compared to 2015, reflecting the impact of enhanced military operations, intelligence-sharing, and border controls. Despite these claimed successes, security challenges persist across the country, and questions remain about the verification of the numbers and the treatment of arrested suspects. Nevertheless, the government insists that its multi-pronged approach is yielding measurable results and underscores its commitment to safeguarding Nigerians from the threat of terrorism.