Insecurity: Troops kill over 217 terrorists, criminals in one month — DHQ

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) announced on Friday that troops deployed across multiple operational theatres in the six geopolitical zones neutralised over 217 terrorists and armed criminals during targeted clearance operations in October alone.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed this in Abuja during the monthly operational briefing, stating that the operations—conducted between September 30 and October 30—also led to the rescue of hundreds of kidnapped hostages, the arrest of several terror collaborators, and the surrender of more than 50 fighters alongside their families.

Gen. Onoja affirmed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria sustained decisive offensive pressure against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, crude oil theft, and violent extremism nationwide.

Providing a sectoral breakdown, he noted that troops of Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East accounted for 162 neutralised terrorists, while Operation Whirl Stroke in the North-Central region eliminated 24 armed elements.

“In the North-West, troops of Operation Fansan Yamma killed 18 terrorists, while Operation Enduring Peace recorded six criminal deaths in Kaduna and Plateau states. Operation Savannah Shield, operating in Kwara and Niger states, neutralised three terrorists, while Operation Udo Ka in the South-East reported two terrorists killed,” Onoja stated.

He added that in the South-South, troops of Operation Delta Safe killed two violent criminals during interdiction missions against oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and maritime piracy.

The defence spokesman noted that while recorded fatalities across the seven joint task force commands totaled 217, the overall casualty count could be significantly higher due to several intense firefights where comprehensive battle-damage assessments could not be concluded.

Onoja highlighted that one of the landmark breakthroughs recorded in October was the neutralisation of a high-profile Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commander, Abdussamad Ohida (alias Anwar), during a raid in Owo Forest, Ondo State, on October 2.

The military identified Ohida as the deputy to ISWAP’s central leadership in Nigeria, having assumed command over tactical operations across the North-Central and South-West following the arrest of his predecessor by the Department of State Services (DSS) in 2023.

According to him, Ohida was coordinating cells to execute large-scale attacks on civilian targets across several states ahead of the forthcoming Yuletide festivities. His elimination, the military noted, dealt a severe operational blow to ISWAP’s push to entrench sleeper cells in the southern axis.

Onoja also highlighted an encounter in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, where troops repelled an ISWAP assault between October 6 and 7, killing 25 insurgents in a protracted firefight and recovering six AK-47 rifles, 10 magazines, 797 rounds of PKT ammunition, three rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) bombs, and an anti-tank bomb.

In Kebbi State, troops of Operation Fansan Yamma repelled an armed attack by the Lakurawa extremist sect in Maiyama Local Government Area on October 7. The attackers, who advanced on over 100 motorcycles armed with heavy machine guns and RPGs, were repulsed, leaving 10 terrorists dead while others fled with gunshot wounds; a machine gun, an AK-47 rifle, assorted ammunition, and communication equipment were recovered.

Turning to counter-kidnapping operations, Onoja revealed that troops rescued 167 hostages in the North-West alone. In Katsina State, 27 villagers abducted from Gamji community in Sabuwa Local Government Area were safely rescued on October 16. Similarly, troops of Operation Savannah Shield rescued 29 farmers following an attempted mass abduction in Magaji Mai Kadarko village, Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, on October 15, although one civilian was tragically killed by the assailants before security forces arrived.

In the South-East, troops of Operation Udo Ka rescued prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted along the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway in Imo State. The victims were freed on October 7 following sustained cordon-and-search operations, while a follow-up raid on October 16 led to the arrest of five syndicate members alongside the recovery of three AK-47 rifles, a pistol, and 81 rounds of ammunition.

The military also recorded the mass surrender of over 50 terrorist fighters and their dependants across Bama, Dikwa, Gwoza, and Monguno in Borno State. Gen. Onoja noted that the defectors cited acute hunger, systemic supply disruptions, and bloody fratricidal clashes between rival Boko Haram and ISWAP factions as reasons for laying down their arms.

He said the operations throughout October demonstrated that violent non-state actors are facing crippling pressure on multiple fronts due to relentless offensives, the blockade of logistics corridors, and the dismantling of their intelligence networks.

Onoja added that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, commended troops across all operational sectors for their resilience, charging them to remain professional, strictly adhere to established rules of engagement, and uphold fundamental human rights as security operations intensify ahead of the festive season.