The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen Buba Edward, has announced that the Nigerian military achieved remarkable success in its operations throughout the country in 2023, Neutralized 6,886 Terrorists.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Edward revealed that a total of 6,886 terrorists and criminal elements were neutralized during the year. Additionally, 6,970 suspects were apprehended, and 4,488 kidnapped citizens were rescued.
The troops’ efforts also resulted in the recovery of substantial quantities of stolen crude oil and diesel. He highlighted the recovery of 100 million litres of stolen crude oil, 60 million litres of diesel, and significant amounts of various petroleum products.
Edward stated, ‘’During the period, troops neutralised 6,886 terrorists and other criminal elements. Troops arrested 6,970 suspects, rescued 4,488 kidnapped hostages as well as recovered 3,320 assorted weapons and 39,075 assorted ammunition.”
“Additionally, troops recovered 100,316,600 litres of crude oil, 60,339,426 litres of AGO, 3,465,450 litres of DPK, and 3,544,990 litres of PMS.”
Giving information on the threats witnessed in 2023, Buba disclosed that banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, oil theft, secessionist agitations, and farmers-herders clashes were top.
He said the threat dynamics were, however, defined along geo-political zones with some permeating across the regional lines. He revealed that kidnapping, armed robbery, communal clashes and cattle rustling were common across the six geopolitical zones.
“The predominant threat in the North-Central and North-West regions is armed banditry/terrorism while the Boko Haram terrorists/Islamic State West African Province lingering insurgency remained the main threat in the North-East region,” he said.
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“The major threat in the South-East and South-West was the secessionist agitations of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and the Yoruba Nation respectively.
“The South-South region continued to experience oil theft, cultism, and youth restiveness. However, acts of criminalities such as kidnapping, armed robbery, communal clashes and cattle rustling were common across the six geopolitical zones.”
Attributing the rise in crime to the proliferation of small arms, Buba stated, “It is pertinent to point out that most security threats in the country were fuelled by the proliferation of small arms exacerbated by the influx of illegal arms and ammunition through our porous borders and the preponderance of local arms fabrication factories in the country.
“Thus, the armed forces’ kinetic and non-kinetic efforts were geared towards tackling these threats in all the geo-political zones,” Buba disclosed.