Troops Sustain Onslaught Against Terrorist Commanders, Oil Thieves in Latest Operations
Troops Sustain Onslaught Against Terrorist Commanders, Oil Thieves in Latest Operations
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Nigerian military has escalated its counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations across the nation, resulting in significant successes.
According to a statement sent to INCNews247 by Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, troops have neutralized a notorious terrorist commander, Abu Mosaje, and 79 combatants, including gunrunners.
The military operations, which were intensified across all operational theatres, targeted not just the terrorists but also their network of collaborators, informants, and support base.
Buba noted that during the period under review, troops of the Joint Task Force, South South, Operations Delta Safe retrieved petroleum products worth over N748 million from oil thieves.
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He added that the troops discovered and dismantled no fewer than 42 illegal refining sites, recovered 842,685 litres of stolen crude oil, 12,340 litres of illegally refined AGO, and 200 litres of DPK.
In the North Central Operational Theatre, troops neutralized the notorious terrorist commander, Abu Mosaje, and gunrunner in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State.
Furthermore, the troops apprehended a wanted kidnap kingpin, Babangida Gora Usman, who was on the security watch list, in Sanga LGA of Kaduna State.
Troops also arrested another notorious gunrunner and his son, identified as Timothy Yusuf and Timothy Obadiah.
In the South-east, troops arrested seven IPOB/ESN agitators, including a notorious kidnapper and informants, in Enugu North and Ehime Mbano LGAs of Enugu and Imo States.
During the week under review, troops neutralized 79 and arrested 224 persons.
Troops also arrested 28 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 67 kidnapped hostages.
The military operations also led to the discovery and destruction of 215 crude oil cooking ovens, 26 dugout pits, 29 boats, 62 storage tanks, 20 drums, and 42 illegal refining sites.
Other items recovered during the operations include one barge, one tug boat, two pumping machines, two speedboats, nine outboard engines, two vehicles, 21 motorcycles, 11 mobile phones, and eight vehicles.
Troops also recovered 104 assorted weapons and 1,953 assorted ammunition across all the theatres of operations.
The breakdown of the recovered weapons and ammunition includes 53 AK47 rifles, 25 fabricated rifles, one FN rifle, 11 dane guns, two pump action guns, one fabricated SMG, four IEDs, seven RPG bombs, 30 magazines, four IEDs, and three locally made butts.
Other recovered ammunition includes 1,186 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 417 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 49 rounds of 12.7mm ammo, 190 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 12 live cartridges, three bandoliers, one baofeng, 35 motorcycles, and 22 mobile phones amongst other items.
Major General Buba assured that the armed forces remain committed to creating conditions in which the safety and security of citizens is guaranteed.