Troops rescue 179 kidnap victims, gun down scores of terrorists nationwide

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) rescued 179 kidnapped victims and neutralised several terrorists in coordinated operations across the country between May 25 and May 28.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying the successes were recorded in multiple theatres of operation as troops intensified pressure on terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements.

According to him, the military’s sustained offensives led to the rescue of dozens of abducted persons, the elimination of terrorists and the arrest of suspects linked to criminal networks across the country.

Onoja said troops of Operation Hadin Kai achieved significant gains in the North-East, killing terrorists in Borno and Taraba states while also arresting a suspected terrorist collaborator in Monguno, Borno State.

He added that the ongoing military pressure forced fresh surrenders within terrorist ranks, including a family member of a terrorist who fled the Kimbe enclave in Borno.

The military spokesman said troops also thwarted attempts by terrorists to regroup along the Bam-Buratai axis, killing five insurgents, while four others were neutralised during an ambush operation in Yobe State.

In the North-West, Onoja said troops of Operation Fansan Yamma arrested suspects linked to terrorist groups in Kebbi and Zamfara states and eliminated three terrorists during separate engagements.

He revealed that troops, supported by Nigerian Air Force air interdiction operations, rescued 31 kidnapped victims in Zamfara State.

A major breakthrough was also recorded in Niger State, where troops of Operation Savannah Shield facilitated the release of 148 kidnapped victims, most of them women and children.

In Kaduna State, troops of Operation Enduring Peace successfully foiled attacks by criminal elements, rescued kidnapped victims and killed a notorious kidnap kingpin identified as Idi Yaya.

Onoja further disclosed that troops of Operation Whirl Stroke intensified operations against drug trafficking networks in Benue State, recovering more than 500 illicit substances and arresting suspects connected with distribution syndicates.

In the South-South region, troops of Operation Delta Safe, working in conjunction with other security agencies, carried out clearance and ambush operations in Edo State, leading to the arrest of suspects and the killing of a kidnapper.

Similarly, troops of Operation Udo Ka operating in the South-East arrested suspected kingpins of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in Ebonyi State.

The troops also foiled an attempted abduction of farmers in Abia State, further strengthening security efforts in the region.

Onoja said the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, commended troops for their resilience, professionalism and courage in the ongoing operations across the country.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remain resolute in restoring peace and safeguarding the territorial integrity of the nation,” he quoted the CDS as saying.

He also appealed to Nigerians to continue supporting security agencies with credible intelligence, assuring that all information provided would be treated with utmost confidentiality.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the latest operational successes underscore the military’s intensified campaign against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes as security forces sustain pressure on criminal groups across different parts of the country.