NAF airstrikes kill over 100 terrorists in Niger, Zamfara

The Defence Headquarters has disclosed that troops have eliminated more than 100 terrorists in air interdictions carried out on the border between Niger and Zamfara states.

The director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, made this known on Thursday in Abuja while giving an update on military operations across the country in the last week.

Showing pictures of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) air interdictions, he said the operations also decimated many insurgents in other parts of the country.

Buba said the military, in a surgical operation targeted at the residence of an ISWAP terrorist commander in Niger, made several arrests and discoveries.

He said other operations conducted last week by troops in various theatres neutralised 73 terrorists and led to the arrest of 182 others.

According to him, the troops also arrested 14 suspected oil thieves, rescued 68 hostages in the South-South, and denied oil thieves an estimated N1.212 billion from the illicit business.

“Furthermore, troops recovered 119 assorted weapons and 1,537 assorted ammunition. The breakdown is as follows: one GPMG, three PKT guns, 39 AK-47 rifles, five locally fabricated rifles, one locally made double-barrel gun, one Bereta pistol, four locally made pistols, five RPG bombs, and five pump-action guns.

“Also recovered were one short gun, one hand grenade, two Dane guns, one AK-47 rifle loaded with 14 rounds of 7.62mm special, and one locally made pistol loaded with live cartridges.

“Others are 586 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, a bag containing 287 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 389 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammo, 141 rounds of 7.62mm special (belted) ammo and 12 rounds of 9mm ammo.

“Also recovered are 113 rounds of live cartridges, 25 empty magazines, 13 vehicles, three motorcycles, 10 mobile phones, two HH radios, one Boafeng radio, and the sum of N3.3 million, among other items,” he said.

In the North East, Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised 39 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, arrested 22, rescued 18 hostages, and recovered a large cache of arms.

In the North Central, the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke neutralised 12 terrorists, arrested 109, rescued 22 kidnapped hostages and recovered several arms and ammunition, he added.