The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) announced on Friday, February 9, 2025, that troops combating terrorism, banditry, and other criminal activities across Nigeria neutralized 27 terrorists, arrested 62 suspects, and rescued 44 kidnapped hostages in operations conducted between January 30 and February 7, 2025.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, disclosed this in a statement, highlighting significant breakthroughs in counterterrorism and oil theft prevention.
According to Kangye, troops also arrested 23 individuals involved in oil theft while preventing the theft of crude oil valued at approximately ₦292.6 million in the South-South region.
“Troops prevented oil theft valued at approximately ₦292,644,100, recovering 253,330 litres of stolen crude oil, 42,000 litres of illegally refined diesel, and 5,100 litres of petrol,” Kangye stated.
Additionally, troops destroyed:
220 illegal crude oil cooking ovens
23 dugout pits
Two boats
17 storage tanks
24 illegal refining sites
Seized items included:
One pumping machine
Three motorcycles
Two vehicles
Mobile phones
Weapons And Ammunition Recovered
During the operations, security forces recovered 61 weapons and 1,584 rounds of ammunition, including:
26 AK-47 rifles
Nine Dane guns
Eight pump-action guns
920 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition
Breakdown Of Military Operations
1. Operation Hadin Kai (Northeast Nigeria)
– 18 terrorists neutralized
– 11 arrested
– 31 kidnapped victims rescued
2. Operation Fasan Yamma (Northwest Nigeria)
– Eight terrorists neutralized
– Six arrested
– 55 hostages freed
3. Operation Safe Haven (North-Central Nigeria)
– Four extremists neutralized
– 13 hostages rescued
4. Operation Delta Safe (South-South Nigeria)
– 23 oil theft suspects arrested
– Illegal refining sites destroyed
– Weapons and ammunition recovered
5. Operation Whirl Stroke (North-Central Nigeria)
– One violent extremist neutralized
– 30 suspects arrested
6. South-East Operations
– Five IPOB/ESN members arrested
– IEDs recovered and detonated
– Four kidnapped victims rescued
The military operations spanned multiple states, including Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Plateau, Kaduna, and Katsina, successfully thwarting terrorist attacks and making major arrests.
Kangye assured that the Nigerian Armed Forces remain committed to safeguarding lives and property while following global best practices in security operations.