The Nigerian military has revealed that it has uncovered an alarming recruitment drive on social media by terrorist groups, with a particular focus on the Islamic State West Africa Province faction.
In response, the military has vowed to continue intensifying its offensives to eliminate all threats posed by these terrorists.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Edward Buba, shared this critical update in a statement on Saturday, emphasizing the significant strides made in disrupting terrorist operations.
Buba highlighted that the ongoing military actions have notably weakened the ranks of these insurgents, with many of their operatives being neutralized.
As part of a coordinated effort, the air force conducted a series of synchronized airstrikes, while ground troops launched successful operations to push terrorists out of their strongholds.
These attacks have led to substantial losses among the insurgent groups. On November 6, 2024, air strikes were carried out on two prominent terrorist locations: KWALLARAM and ARAINNA CIKI islands in Borno State.
The targeted strikes resulted in the deaths of over 70 extremists at KWALLARAM, with additional casualties at ARAINNA CIKI.
According to Buba, military forces have neutralized 169 terrorists and arrested 641 individuals in connection with terrorism-related activities.
The offensive operations continue to gain momentum, as forces expand their reach across the country to dismantle the terrorist threat.
Buba also noted the significant progress made in combating oil theft, which is often used to fund insurgent activities. Troops arrested 40 individuals involved in the illegal trade, and they managed to thwart oil theft worth over One Billion Four Hundred Million Naira (N1,402,001,900).
Additionally, the military recovered a wide array of weapons and ammunition during the operations.
The recovered items included 106 AK47 rifles, 38 fabricated rifles, 26 dane guns, one FN rifle, three fabricated revolver pistols, 11 locally made pistols, five pump action guns, one dummy AK47 rifle, and one unexploded RPG bomb.
The total ammunition seized comprised various types, including 1,410 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,074 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, and 67 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, among others. Also seized were 40 mobile phones, seven vehicles, and 29 motorcycles, with a cash sum of N729,000.
In addition to the counterterrorism operations, the military also made significant strides in curbing illegal oil refining activities in the Niger Delta region.
Troops discovered and destroyed 20 crude oil cooking ovens, along with 42 boats, seven reservoirs, 50 storage tanks, and 83 illegal refining sites. Other contraband recovered during the operation included three pumping machines, three outboard engines, one generator set, one speedboat, and a range of vehicles and motorcycles.
The military also confiscated a significant amount of stolen crude oil, including 914,445 liters of crude, 537,325 liters of illegally refined AGO, and 1,285 liters of PMS.
“Troops recovered 192 assorted weapons and 2,970 assorted ammunition. The breakdown as follows: 106 AK47 rifles, 38 fabricated rifles, 26 dane guns, one FN rifle, 3 fabricated revolver pistol, 11 locally made pistols, 5 pump action guns, ome dummy AK47 rifle and one unexploded RPG bomb”, the spokesman added.
“Others are 1,410 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,074 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 67 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 130 rounds of 108mm, 101 rounds of 9mm ammo, 146 live cartridges, 2 baofeng radios, 7 vehicles, 29 motorcycles, 40 mobile phones and the sum of N729,000.00 only amongst other items.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 20 crude oil cooking ovens, 2 dugout pits, 42 boats, 7 reservoirs, 5 drums, 50 storage tanks and 83 illegal refining sites. “Other items recovered include 3 pumping machines, 3 outboard engines, one generator set, one speedboat, 8 motorcycles, 3 mobile phones and 3 vehicles among others. Troops recovered 914,445 litres of stolen crude oil, 537,325 litres of illegally refined AGO and 1,285 litres of PMS,” the statement added.
The military remains committed to sustaining its offensive operations, determined to neutralize terrorist threats and curb illegal activities that fund insurgencies across the nation.
