Troops killed 8,034 terrorists, arrested 11,623 in 2024 – DHQ

No fewer than 8,034 terrorists were killed and 11,623 arrested during various operations across the country in 2024.

Also, crude oil worth N57,052,218,551 was recovered and 6,376 kidnapped victims were rescued between January and December 2024.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba disclosed this at the biweekly update on military operations in Abuja on Thursday.

He said, “Troops aggression across the various theatres of operation since the beginning of the year culminated in 8,034 neutralised terrorists; arrested 11,623 and rescued 6,376 hostages.

“Additionally, troops recovered 53,101,430 litres of stolen crude oil; 9,179,181 litres of illegally refined AGO and 90,595 litres of DPK. Others are 156,095 litres of PMS, among other items.”

Buba also said troops recovered 8,216 weapons and 211,459 ammunition.

He gave a breakdown of the recovered items to include 4,053 AK47 rifles; 1,123 locally-fabricated guns, 731 Dane guns and 240 pump action guns,” among others.

He assured that the military was keeping up the pressure through ongoing operations in various theatres nationwide.

“The military is through these operations, increasingly creating conditions in which terrorists can’t carry out acts of terror or harm citizens.

“On the whole, the armed forces are constantly examining ways to improve the effectiveness of its operations and guarantee the safety of citizens,” he said.

He added that military operations are on an upward trajectory to winning the war.

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Defence Headquarters had disclosed that three soldiers of Operation Hadin Kai were killed while repelling an attack launched by Boko Haram terrorists in the Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, on Monday.

A statement from the headquarters on Tuesday, however, said while mourning those who paid the supreme price, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, commended the troops for their courage, as he also urged them to sustain the momentum.