DHQ: Troops Kill 554 Terrorists, Arrest 1,333, Rescue 1,736 Hostages In Three Months

...Military Records 367 Attacks, Recovers 244 Arms, 8,160 Ammunition Rounds

…104 Illegal Refineries Destroyed, 333 Insurgents Surrendered

Daud Olatunji

The Defence Headquarters has said troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces neutralised 554 terrorists and other criminals, arrested 1,333 suspects and rescued 1,736 kidnapped civilians during operations across the country in the third quarter of 2026.

The military also disclosed that 333 insurgents surrendered to the troops during the three-month period, while 244 arms and 8,160 rounds of ammunition were recovered from criminal elements.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed the figures while briefing journalists on the military’s operations on Wednesday.

According to him, troops confronted 367 attacks across various theatres of operation between July and September, with the highest number recorded under Operation Enduring Peace, which accounted for 147 attacks.

Operation Fansan Yamma recorded 115 attacks, Operation Whirl Stroke 55, Operation Hadin Kai 33, Operation Savannah Shield 13, Operation Udo Ka four, while Operation Delta Safe recorded no attack during the period.

Onoja said the military responded to the attacks with coordinated operations that resulted in the neutralisation of several attackers, arrests, rescue of kidnapped civilians and recovery of weapons and ammunition.

He said the operations were conducted against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, oil theft and other forms of criminality across the country.

“The scale of successes recorded for the third quarter of 2026, ranging from the neutralisation of 554 terrorists and criminals; arrest of 1,333 terrorists/criminals; rescue of 1,736 kidnapped civilians; surrender of 333 insurgents; capture of 244 arms and 8,160 rounds of ammunition; dismantling of 104 illegal refining sites; and recovery of 1,610,402 litres of stolen petroleum products represents a significant degradation of criminal and terrorist operational capacity nationwide,” Onoja said.

The military spokesman said troops also dismantled 104 illegal refining sites and recovered 1,610,402 litres of stolen petroleum products during the quarter.

He added that troops cleared improvised explosive devices, dismantled suspected terrorist camps, recovered weapons and ammunition and disrupted planned attacks.

According to him, the activities also helped to protect communities, major supply routes and critical national infrastructure from attacks.

Providing details of operations in September, Onoja said troops neutralised 52 terrorists and criminals, arrested 350 suspects and rescued hundreds of kidnapped civilians.

He also said 75 insurgents surrendered during the month.

The troops, he added, recovered 52 arms and 2,335 rounds of ammunition, dismantled eight illegal refining sites and recovered more than 304,822 litres of stolen petroleum products.

He said the figures reflected fluctuations in the security environment and the nature and intensity of military engagements from one month to another.

Onoja said the military recorded a significant increase in the number of bandits and criminals killed between July and August, while other operational indicators also changed during the period.

He said several indicators declined between August and September, including the number of criminals neutralised, arrests, civilian rescues, surrenders, arms and ammunition recovered and crude oil recovered.