Troops offset 51 terrorists, bandits, and ESN militants in fire-fights

Troops fighting to relieve the country of criminal elements, terrorists/bandits, and economic saboteurs have abolished 51 terrorists/bandits in several operations while also bailing a total of 94 kidnapped civilians from captivity.

This is just as a total of 210 criminal elements including terrorists, their observers, armed bandits, perpetrators of oil theft; IPOB/ESN militants among others were arrested during various counter-operations.

Also, armies in the Niger Delta discovered and destroyed 30 illegal refining sites, 125 storage tanks, 227 ovens, 11 dugout pits, and 21 wooden boats while denying oil thieves over N500 million worth of stolen crude oil products. 

Deputy Director, Coordination, in the Directorate of Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Abdullahi Hassan Ibrahim who made this known on behalf of the Director, of Defence Media Operations on Thursday, also stated that troops recovered 1,675,700 liters of crude oil, 74,500 liters of Automotive Gas Oil, 10 vehicles, 20 motorcycles, 8 weapons and 330 several ammunitions from economic saboteurs.

Giving an insight into the operations, he said, “In the North East, troops neutralized 24 Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists, captured 10, apprehended 39 collaborators and logistics suppliers, and rescued 35 kidnapped civilians. 

“In the North West, troops neutralized 16 terrorists, arrested 38 suspected criminals, rescued 38 kidnapped civilians, 1 Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorist equally surrendered to the troops. 

Edited by Damilola Adeleke