From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says soldiers fighting the counter-insurgency war have arrested two notorious terrorists on its watch list and one Shehu Bagiwaye, a gunrunner. They were arrested in Gudu and Gusau local government areas of Sokoto and Zamfara States.
The DHQ also said that a total of 75 terrorists, who have successfully completed their rehabilitation training, have been handed over to the Borno State government.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major-General Markus Kangye, who made this known, said the soldiers killed scores of terrorists in the last one week at various theatres across the country.
Gen. Kangye, at a media briefing on military and security agencies’ operations conducted in the last two weeks, further stated that the rehabilitated persons include seven males, 34 females, and 34 children.
Gen. Kangye said: “The Nigerian military, in conjunction with hybrid forces, the ONSA team, and security agencies, continued their offensive against terrorists and other criminal elements in joint operations during the week under review. They conducted fighting and confidence-building patrols, raids, ambushes, and clearance as well as search and rescue operations with resounding successes.
“During operations across various theatres, several terrorists were neutralised. Their collaborators were also apprehended, while some kidnapped victims were rescued. The week also witnessed the handover of rehabilitated terrorists to the Borno State Government. Gunrunners, oil theft collaborators, and other violent extremists were also apprehended. Several close air support, armed reconnaissance patrols, as well as air interdiction missions, were conducted by the Air Component during the week.
“Between 10–20 March 2025, scores of terrorists were neutralised, while suspected others were arrested. Troops also apprehended 23 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued some kidnapped hostages.”
He said: “In a related development, troops recovered a huge cache of assorted arms and ammunition during the week. The weapons recovered include AK47 rifles, locally fabricated guns, Dane guns, pump action guns, locally fabricated pistols, and RPG tubes, amongst others. The ammunition recovered includes various kinds of 7.62mm ammo as well as RPG bombs.”