Security
Military neutralises 108 terrorists, rescues 214 hostages in 1 week – DHQ
The Nigerian military in the last one week eliminated 108 terrorists amid rescued 214 kidnapped hostages across the country.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
Buba said troops also apprehended 204 suspected terrorists and other criminal elements, recovered 66 assorted weapons and 4,087 assorted ammunition, comprising one dushka, one MG, two GPMGs, one RPG launcher, one RPG bomb, one AK56 rifle and 37 AK47 rifles.
He added that the troops also recovered four MRAPs, two GTs, three fabricated rifles, six dane guns, three locally made pistols, six magazines, one bandolier and two HH radios.
Other weapons, according to him, are 313 rounds of 7.62mm PKT, 2,362 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 699 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 201 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm and 503 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm.
“Also recovered are nine live cartridges, one belted of NATO ammo, 19 vehicles, 44 motorcycles, three mobile phones and the sum of N4.9 million amongst other items,’’ he said.
In the North East, Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai, neutralised 47 terrorists, arrested 18 suspects and rescued 130 kidnappers hostages as well as recovery of cache of arms.
He said that a total of 622 terrorists comprising 90 adult males 182 adult females and 350 children surrendered to troops during the week within the theatre of operations.
Buba said the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, had on Aug. 2 conducted an air interdiction at newly uncovered BH/ISWAP terrorist’s hideout and IED factory in Mandara Mountains.
According to him, the location was acquired and attacked with rockets and bombs. Battle Damage Assessment revealed that several terrorists were eliminated and the IED factory as well as their logistics destroyed.
In the North Central, he said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke, neutralised 13 insurgents, apprehended 57 violent extremists and rescued 36 kidnapped hostages during the week.
In the North West, Buba said the troops of Hadarin Daji, neutralised 15 terrorists, arrested 22 terrorists and rescued 27 kidnapped hostages across Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara States.
He said the air component conducted successful air interdiction missions at suspected terrorists kingpin Kamilu Burazu’s enclave and newly uncovered terrorists hideout In Danmusa and Batsari Local Government Areas of Katsina State.
According to him, battle damage assessment revealed that several terrorists were neutralized and their structures as well as logistics were destroyed.
Under Operation Whirl Punch, Buba said the troops neutralised eight terrorists, arrested 22 suspects and rescued 12 kidnapped hostages in Kaduna, Niger and Kogi States.
He added that the air component eliminated several terrorists and destroyed the camp of a terrorists’ kingpin, Buhari in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
In the South-South, Buba said the troops of Operation Delta Safe, recovered 1.13 million litres of stolen crude oil, and 228,770 litres of illegally refined AGO, as well as 100 litres of DPK and 20,000 litres of PMS.
He added that troops discovered and destroyed 487 dugout pits, 32 boats and 12 storage tanks as well as 71 cooking ovens, two speedboats, two pumping machines, and two HH radios.
According to him, troops also recovered 19 vehicles, 32 motorcycles, one tricycle, one wheelbarrow and destroyed 76 illegal refining sites.
He added that troops rescued five kidnapped hostages and apprehended 32 suspected oil thefts and other violent extremists and also recovered 11 assorted weapons.
In the South East, Buba said that troops of Operation UDO KA neutralised five terrorists, arrested 12 violent extremists and rescued four kidnapped hostages.
“All recovered items, arrested suspects and rescued hostages were handed over to the relevant authority for further action,’’ he added. (NAN)
The Takum Renaissance Forum(TRF)has condemned a press release issue by STYCOP headed by Rikwensi Muri associating’s increasing surge in insecurity and unrest in Southern Taraba to former Takum local government chairman Shiban Tikari.
In a statement issue by the group secretary Emmanuel Joro, it says for the avoidance of doubt, they wouldn’t have dabbled into the issue, but for the sake of records, they’ve chosen to react.
In Muri’s press release which states that “We must also remember the actions of Hon. Shiban Tikari, former chairman of Takum Local Government Council, who similarly exploited the “Tiv Militias,” “Kuteb Militias,” and “Fulani Militias” narrative to destabilize the region”.
The Group responded by saying “It is on records that Hon. Shiban stabilized the atmosphere of Takum and environs during his tenure. His administration was not marred by state-sponsored kidnappings, murders and sacking of more than 100 communities by mercenary bandits brought against the Kuteb communities as claimed by Rikwensi Muri, in his usual false accusations. Muri and his co-travellers are the same ones who were bent on throwing Takum and Ussa communities into the pool of crisis. Everybody knew it. Fulani herdsmen were said to have paid millions to their kuteb Chiefs before being given permission to bring their cows to graze in ussa LGA. Muri is quiet about it.”
The group further stated that the former Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku agreed to compensate the herders on the lost of their cows to stop attacking Kuteb communities, but instead after the money had come to their possession for compensation to be paid to the Fulani, it was diverted. They instead opted for the money to be used for arms procurement to fight the Fulani herdsmen.
“Why are the likes of Muri and their cohorts, who wanted war with Fulani and called for it, still turning around to blame Gov DDI led administration alongside the then chairmen of Takum and Wukari for their woes”?
“It’s good to note that we are above media trials and other sensational lies to curry public sympathy. Muri has been attacking the image of the Governor of Taraba state, Dr Agbu Kefas and other notable personalities in the state like our fathers, Gen TY Danjuma and the Aku Uka, The Chief of Takum and other notable personalities, but we are not beginning to take this as an exception. Muri’s height of media rascality is a charade taken far”.
“Of all these, none of us or even the authority have chosen to arrest him for defamation. Why? Because of his lunatic approaches and the cheap relevance he is looking for, we can’t give him. The public is always aware of his sponsors and where he is driving. But we repeat, with exception, if he decides to take this further because at hand, we are beginning to gather his incisive and inflammatory posts for litigation against him in court” the statement reads.
The group further highlights that Muri press Release is to incite the gullible public against Hon. Shiban over lies and fabrication of falsehood and also maliciously attacking the present chairman of Wukari local government, Hon Agbu Samaila “having known that the attackers of those innocent KYK members of CRCN in Jootar were Tiv militia, those he has been calling for coalition with”.
The group defend that Hon. Shiban Tikari has never been on the run, but in his hometown in Takum. And the media trial being stage-managed by Muri to demean his image has long fallen.
“We are therefore calling on the general public to be wary with the activities of the so-called STYCOP being handled by Muri. It is not a peace building organization as being peddled but an organization aimed at stirring chaos in the southern part of Taraba state. It is a potential terrorist breeding camp”.
President Bola Tinubu has given marching orders to security agencies to fish out those behind the killing of some travellers in Edo State.
The victims, who were said to be travelling from Port Harcourt to the northern part of Nigeria, were allegedly killed by a mob in Uromi, Edo State, on Thursday.
While reacting to the incident, President Bola Tinubu described it as dastardly.
“The President, who expressed shock at the dastardly act on Thursday, directed Police and other security agencies to conduct swift and thorough investigations and punish the suspected culprits,” presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said in a statement on Friday.
The President noted that jungle justice has no place in Nigeria, and all Nigerians have the freedom to move freely in any part of the country.
Tinubu condoled with the families of the affected people and assured them “that criminals would not be allowed to shed the blood of innocent Nigerians in vain”.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has visited the community, condemning the killing of the travellers.
The governor described the incident as barbaric, according to a statement from his spokesman Fred Itua, and ordered a full-scale investigation into the killing.
“The Governor directed the State Police Command and other security agencies to conduct thorough and speedy investigations into the matter and bring those found culpable to book. He also charged the community to work with the security agencies to fish out the culprits,” Itua said in a statement on Friday
“Governor Okpebholo also commended community leaders, especially the leadership of Arewa community in the area, for deescalating tensions and handling the situation with restrain.”
The governor promised justice for the victims and maintained that there is “no excuse for the vigilante members to take the law into their hands without recourse to statutory law enforcement agencies”.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Sirajo Jaja, the Accountant General of Bauchi State for alleged N70 billion fraud.
He was arrested in Abuja on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 alongside Aliyu Abubakar of Jasfad Resources Enterprise, an unlicensed bureau de change (BDC) operator and Sunusi Ibrahim Sambo, a Point of Sale (PoS) operator.
They were arrested in connection with investigations of money laundering, diversion of public funds and missapropriation to the tune of N70 billion.
The Commission is investigating the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, regarding the matter.
The EFCC said investigations showed that cash withdrawal of N59billion had been made through various bank accounts opened and operated by the Accountant General on behalf of the state government.
The money was allegedly moved to Abubakar and Sambo, who in turn made cash payments to party agents and associates of the governor.
The BDC operator, Abubakar, earlier jumped bail and has now been rearrested.