Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) eliminated 950 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in the North-East between May 20, 2021, and January 6, 2022, according to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ).

Also, troops eliminated a total of 858 bandits, arrested 2,318 and rescued 554 kidnapped victims in different operations across North-West and North-Central between May 2021 and January 2022.

The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, made this known while reviewing progress of the operations on Thursday in Abuja.

Onyeuko said that troops eliminated several high profile commanders and Amirs (leaders) of the terrorist groups during the period.

He said that 24,059 terrorists and their families comprising 5,326 adult males, 7,550 adult females and 11,183 children had so far surrendered to the troops in the region.

The spokesman said that all surrendered elements had been properly profiled and handed over to appropriate authorities for necessary actions.

Onyeuko further revealed that 79 terrorists were arrested while 113 kidnapped civilians rescued by the troops within the period.

Meanwhile, Onyeuko said that the military achieved the feat against bandits through operations Hadarin Daji in North-West, Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke in North-Central as well as Thunder Strike/Whirl Punch in North-West and North-Central.

Under Operation Hadarin Daji, he said the operational efforts of the gallant troops resulted in the killing of 537 bandits and other criminal elements and arrest of 374 criminal elements including bandits and their collaborators as well as criminal herdsman and robbers.

Onyeuko added that troops also rescued 452 kidnapped victims and recovered 227 assorted arms, including AK-47 rifles, PKT machine guns and GPMGs as well as 4,443 rounds of different calibres of ammunition.

According to him, 3,250 rustled livestock, 238 motorcycles and 118 extra rifle magazines were recovered by the troops in the course of the operations.

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He said the Air Component recorded another feat on January 3 when it executed air offensives on bandits’ enclaves at Gusami Forest and West Tsamre village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara, which led to the neutralisation of scores of bandits.

He said the locations were the operational base of two key bandits’ leaders, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, who were killed alongside their followers.
According to him, no fewer than 100 bandits were neutralised in the encounter.

Under Operation Safe Haven, Onyeuko disclosed that troops arrested a total of 1,771 criminal elements including bandits, armed herdsmen and livestock rustlers; while 109 bandits were killed in action within the period.

He added that troops also rescued 75 kidnapped victims and recovered 1,306 livestock, 108 assorted arms including AK-47 rifles and locally produced guns as well as 493 rounds of different calibres of ammunition among other items.

According to him, troops carried out various non-kinetic activities in different locations within the theatre to contain security challenges in its area of responsibility.

In Operation Whirl Stroke, Onyeuko said the troops eliminated a total of 168 criminal elements and arrested 127, including migrant bandits as well as recovered 118 different types of arms and 381 different calibres of ammunition.

He further disclosed that 391 livestock were recovered, while 33 kidnapped victims were rescued within the period in the North-Central.
The Defence spokesperson also disclosed that troops of Operation Thunder Stroke/Whirl Punch, eliminated a total of 44 criminals and arrested 46 within the period.

TheStar