The Defence Headquarters has announced the death of Mai Hijabi, a notorious terrorist leader in Jigawa State, during a military operation aimed at weakening terror groups across Northern Nigeria.
The operation, which took place this week, is part of the military’s ongoing efforts to dismantle the combat capabilities of terrorist factions.
According to The PUNCH, Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba stated that the military made significant progress during the week.
“Our operations have destroyed a substantial part of the combat capacity of these terror groups and their leadership. One of the notorious terrorist commanders in Jigawa State, known as Mai Hijabi, was eliminated from the battlefield,” Buba said.
In addition to neutralizing Mai Hijabi, Buba revealed that 165 terrorists were killed, 238 suspects were arrested, and 188 kidnapped victims were rescued.
The military’s efforts also extended to the Niger Delta, where troops arrested 35 suspected oil thieves and prevented the theft of oil valued at N688,125,150.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 2 dugout pits, 58 boats, 39 storage tanks, and 65 illegal refining sites,” Buba added.
During the operations, troops recovered an array of weapons, ammunition, and stolen items. “We recovered 153 assorted weapons, including 81 AK-47 rifles, 27 Dane guns, and 13 pump action guns, as well as 2,182 rounds of assorted ammunition,” Buba explained.