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From Molly Kilete and Damilola Adeoye, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday said soldiers on internal security operations across the country killed 44 terrorists and arrested 140 bandits, kidnappers, oil thieves and other criminals across the country in the last two weeks.
The soldiers from different theatres of operations also rescued 20 kidnapped victims, while 1,652 terrorists and their families surrendered to troops fighting the counter insurgency war in the North East. The number comprises 320 adult males, 442 women and 890 children.
Director, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Major General Musa Danmadami, made the disclosure yesterday, at a media briefing on military operations conducted between August 11-25, 2022.
Danmadami said several terrorists, including top commanders, logistics suppliers, informants and other criminal groups working with the insurgents, were killed during the period and huge cache of arms, ammunitions, logistics and other dangerous weapons recovered. He said troops also discovered and destroyed several illegal refining sites, in the Niger Delta region of the country, which included 493 dugout pits, 512 storage tanks, 413 cooking ovens and 59 wooden boats. They also recovered four tankers, two speed boats, one generator, one outboard engine, 14 pumping machines, three AK47 rifles, about 26,000 barrels of crude oil, 3.2 million litres of automotive gas oil, 26,575, litres of premium motor spirit and 2,000, litres of dual purpose kerosine.
Danmadami said all the recovered items have been handed over to the relevant authorities for further action.
He commended the media who, he said, has always partnered with the military in its fight against insurgency, banditry and other criminal activities and called on the public to continue to provide creditable information on criminals and enemies of the country, to curb their excesses.
