Military killed over 15,000 terrorists in three years – APC PCC

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has claimed that the Nigerian military killed over 15,000 terrorists and bandits in three years under President Bola Tinubu’s security plan.

The claim was made on Sunday, November 15, 2026, by the council’s Director of Media and Publicity, Dele Alake, during a press briefing in Abuja, ValidViewNetwork reports.

THE CLAIM

Alake was unequivocal. “Under President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian military has killed over 15,000 terrorists and bandits in three years. This is a testament to the President’s commitment to securing our nation,” he said .

He said the military had also degraded the capacity of insurgent groups, disrupted their supply chains, and rescued thousands of hostages .

He cited the recent rescue of 70 abductees and the arrest of five suspects linked to the kidnapping of NYSC members as examples of the military’s effectiveness.

“The Tinubu administration has broken the back of terrorism. The numbers speak for themselves”.

THE CONTEXT

The claim comes as the 2027 election campaign heats up, with the APC seeking to defend its record on security, which has been a major source of criticism.

Nigeria has faced a wave of insecurity in recent years, including the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, and kidnapping across the country .

The APC has consistently argued that the Tinubu administration has made progress in addressing these challenges .

WHY IT MATTERS

The APC’s claim is a political statement, not a verifiable fact. The figure of 15,000 terrorists killed is impossible to independently confirm. No independent body has verified the number. No list of names has been published. No forensic evidence has been presented.

What is clear is that insecurity persists. Kidnappings continue. Bandits still operate. Communities are still displaced. The military has recorded successes, but the war is not over.

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The APC’s decision to highlight the figure is a campaign strategy. By presenting itself as the party of security, it is attempting to neutralise one of the opposition’s strongest criticisms.

But the claim also raises a question. If 15,000 terrorists have been killed, why does insecurity persist? Why are Nigerians still afraid to travel on highways? Why are communities still being attacked?

The answer is that killing terrorists is not the same as defeating terrorism. The ideology survives. The networks adapt. And the root causes, poverty, unemployment, weak governance—remain unaddressed.

The APC has claimed a number. The people will judge whether it matters. ValidViewNetwork reports.