Abuja, July 7, 2023 – No fewer than 161 suspected oil thieves and other criminals in the Niger Delta have been arrested by Nigerian troops in the last two weeks.
Dozens of terrorists were also killed by the troops across the country during the period.
Brig-Gen. Abdullahi Ibrahim, Officer in the Directorate of Defence Media Operations, disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday.
He said troops of Operation Delta Safe, operating in the Niger Delta region, destroyed 30 illegal refining sites, while about N503.6 million were denied the oil thieves during the period.
Ibrahim said the soldiers recovered 1,675,700 litres of crude oil, 74,500 litres of automotive gas oil, 10 vehicles, 20 motorcycles, eight weapons and 330 assorted ammunition and arrested 42 economic saboteurs.
He said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai, operating in the Northeast region neutralized 24 Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists, apprehended 49 terrorists, their collaborators and logistics suppliers and rescued 35 kidnapped civilians, with varying numbers of weapons recovered.
“Relatedly, the air component of Operation Hadin Kai conducted an air interdiction operation at terrorists’ hideout at Tumbun Shitu, Arina Chiki a known terrorist hideout in Southern Tumbuns of Borno State.
“The locations were bombarded with bombs which neutralized several terrorists and destroyed their structures in the air strike.
“A similar air interdiction operation was conducted at identified terrorist locations in Jango, Kundesana in Mandara mountains and AL Jabbari in Borno State.
“In these locations, Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance footage confirmed clusters of active structures with some terrorist activities.
“Accordingly, the targets were bombarded”, he said.
According to Ibrahim, due to troops’ offensive operations against terrorists in the theatre of operations, a total of 967 terrorists comprising 82 adult males, 354 adult females and 531 children surrendered to troops at different locations within the joint area of operations.
Ibrahim said troops neutralized 7 terrorists and arrested 44 suspected criminals in the Northwest.
Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji killed 16 terrorists, arrested 38 suspected criminals and recovered several weapons.
He added that the soldiers also rescued 38 kidnapped civilians as one Boko Haram/ISWAP Terrorist surrendered to the troops.
In the Southeast region, Ibrahim said soldiers neutralized four Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network criminals and arrested 37 suspected criminals as well as rescued 15 kidnapped civilians.
“All recovered items, arrested Boko Haram Terrorists logistics suppliers and rescued civilians have been handed over to the relevant authority for further action while captured terrorists and surrendered Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists and members of their families were profiled and documented for further action”, he said. (GBN)
