The Defence Headquarters has announced that military operations conducted over the past week resulted in the elimination of at least 159 terrorists and the arrest of 174 individuals suspected of involvement in various criminal activities. These operations, carried out across different regions of the country, also led to significant recoveries of stolen resources and illegal weaponry.
In the South-South region, troops successfully disrupted oil theft operations, recovering stolen crude oil valued at an estimated N736 million. According to Major General Buba Edward, Director of Media Operations, “Troops in the South-South denied oil thieves an estimated N736,971,450.00 in stolen crude oil.” He further detailed that in the Niger Delta, troops uncovered and destroyed several illegal structures used for oil theft, including nine dugout pits, 35 boats, four speedboats, 32 drums, and 57 storage tanks. Additionally, the military recovered 20 cooking ovens, a pumping machine, 14 vehicles, a motorcycle, a tricycle, 10 mobile phones, and dismantled 71 illegal refining sites.
The recovered materials from the region included 788,400 litres of stolen crude oil, 28,995 litres of illegally refined diesel (AGO), 300 litres of kerosene (DPK), and 3,000 litres of petrol (PMS).
General Buba also highlighted the military’s proactive deployment of troops to Edo State, aimed at ensuring a peaceful and credible governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024. He explained that the troops have been stationed to prevent any attempt to disrupt the electoral process, adding, “Our troops are strategically deployed to ensure that the upcoming off-cycle election in Edo State is conducted in a violence-free, fair, and credible manner. Their role is to support the police in safeguarding voters and ensuring security throughout the process, while also preventing any attempts by disruptive elements to incite violence.”
In addition to combating oil theft, the operations across the country also led to the rescue of 188 kidnapped individuals who had been held captive by non-state actors. This large-scale operation helped to secure the freedom of those hostages, further reinforcing the military’s efforts to maintain peace and security in various regions.
General Buba, in his statement on Friday, revealed that troops also seized a significant cache of weapons and ammunition during the operations. A total of 151 assorted firearms and 12,401 rounds of ammunition were recovered, including 3 PKT guns, one SLR, 92 AK-47 rifles, 25 locally fabricated rifles, 15 Dane guns, four pump-action shotguns, four locally-made pistols, a standard pistol, two RPG tubes, one RPG bomb, 66 AK-47 magazines, one FN magazine, and two locally-manufactured hand grenades.
Furthermore, 45 individuals involved in oil theft were arrested in addition to those suspected of other criminal activities, bringing the total number of arrests to 174. Major General Buba emphasized the ongoing efforts of the military to restore peace and order, assuring the public that these operations will continue to target criminal elements across the country.
