From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters(DHQ), said troops engaged in the counter terrorism war and other security on operations across the country, killed scores of terrorists and arrested 1,191 others, including their kingpins
The troops also rescued 543 hostages in the last three months.
The troops also recovered several arms and ammunition, discovered and destroyed about 174 illegal refining sites, while 682 terrorists and their families surrendered to troops at various theatre of operations.
Director Defence Media Operations, Major-General Markus Kangye, who made this known at a briefing on military operations conducted across between April and June, 2025, said troops eliminated several terrorists leaders ‘Amir Abu Fatimah, kinging Auta, Abdul Jamilu, Salisu, Mallam Jidda and Maiwada.
“Our troops killed several terrorists’ kingpins and their foot soldiers, arrested over 1,191 of them and rescued 543 kidnapped victims. During the quarter, about 682 terrorists and their families surrendered to troops.
“Among the terrorists eliminated were: dreaded Amir Abu Fatimah, kinging Auta, Abdul Jamilu, Salisu, Mallam Jidda, Maiwada, Mai Dada and Nwachi Eze, otherwise known as Onowu,”.
Gen. Kangye said just two days ago, bandit kingpin Yellow Danbokkolo, succumbed to injuries sustained during an encounter with troops the previous week where many of his lieutenants were also eliminated.
He further stated that some notorious gunrunners and kidnappers on the troops’ watch list have been arrested and currently in custody undergoing interrogation.
He listed some of the suspects being interrogated to include: Buhari Umar, Hassam Mohammed, Saleh Sani, Adamu Dan Mai, Idi Yusuf, Hassan Bello, Muhammed Isah, Shimu Ilu Adamu, Ismaila Ilu Hassan, Michael and Shittu Muazu Bakassi.
On the fight against crude theft and economic saboteurs in the Niger Delta, Kangye said troops of Operation DELTA SAFE recovered stolen products worth N3,500,435,234.00;recovered 2,381,239 litres of stolen crude oil, 605,393 litres of illegally refined AGO, 41,465 litres of DPK and 26,905 litres of PMS .
He said troops also discovered and destroyed about 174 illegal refining sites, while 45 vehicles were seized from the suspects.
Other items recovered by the troops include:automatic weapons, RPG tubes, machine guns, locally fabricated guns, and improvised explosive devices, which were prepared by the terrorists and ready for detonation. He also said troops recovered assorted ammunition from the sites
Meanwhile, kangye has said that granting amnesty to repentant terrorists is not the mandate of the military.
According to his the military does not engage in amnesty of whatever kind:”We are to do our job according to our rules of engagement, according to our operational directives. And if, from the operation conducted, people are arrested and handed over, and an amnesty is to be given to them, it’s not the military that determines that.”
Kangye, while fielding questions from journalists on military operations conducted in the country in the last three months, clarified that while the development reflects the success of both kinetic and non-kinetic operations, offering amnesty to bandits is not within the military’s mandate.
“Their cases will be studied, and based on that merit, the agencies of government responsible for giving amnesty will do that. It is not for the military to determine whether to give amnesty or not. That is not part of our operation.”
On why the military is yet to release detained leaders of Okuoma community, where 17 soldiers were killed during a peace operations in the community despite a court order, the Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen Tukur Gusau, who was also present at the briefing, explained that the military had not receiv/ed the court order in question, despite reports of its issuance.
Gusau said: “The DHQ has not received any court injunction in respect of that.
“If we get it, we have our legal team, that will advise us on the next step to take. But for now , we don’t have such a court injunction being served to us. Nobody has requested to visit the man . There was no request forwarded to the Defence Headquarters on that.
“Maybe the request is only on the pages of Newspapers.
“There is a procedure for everything, if they follow the procedure we will respond appropriately.”
On March 14, four officers and 13 soldiers were killed in an ambush in Okuama, a community in Ughelli South Local Government, Delta state, during a peace mission by the deceased. The killings attracted wide condemnation by Nigerians. The military, thereafter, stormed the community and arrested alleged perpetrators of the heinous act.