ABUJA, April 12 – Nigeria’s military reported significant gains in its recent week-long operation targeting Islamist militant groups in the north and oil thieves in the south, according to Defence spokesperson Major-General Edward Buba.
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In a statement, Buba disclosed that troops had inflicted heavy losses on militants, with 188 killed or wounded and 330 suspects arrested across different locations in the country. Additionally, security forces apprehended 36 suspected oil thieves in the Niger Delta region, rescued 133 kidnap victims, and seized over 270 weapons along with more than 5,000 rounds of ammunition.
“The armed forces are resolutely committed to combating terrorism, enhancing security, and ensuring citizens’ safety. Troops will continue to engage with full force against terrorists nationwide,” Buba emphasized.
Nigeria grapples with a range of security challenges, including an enduring Islamist insurgency in the northeast, separatist violence in the southeast, widespread oil theft in the Niger Delta, and rampant kidnapping by criminal groups for ransom.
Buba highlighted that the military operation resulted in the destruction of 51 dugout pits, 24 boats, 21 storage tanks, and over 20 illegal oil refining facilities, with the recovery of nearly 700,000 liters of stolen crude oil. Additionally, approximately 637.7 million naira ($554,500) in suspected proceeds from oil theft were seized.
($1 = 1,150.0000 naira)
