Troops Killed 554 Terrorists, Apprehended 1,333, Rescued 1,736 in Third Quarter
Linus Aleke in Abuja The Nigerian military has said troops across all theatres of operation killed 554 terrorists and other criminals, apprehended 1,333 of them alive, and rescued no fewer
In the third quarter of 2026, Nigeria's military reported significant achievements in combating terrorist activities and rescuing kidnapped civilians. Across all theatres of operation, troops successfully killed 554 terrorists and other criminals, while apprehending 1,333 of them alive. Remarkably, they managed to rescue a staggering 1,736 kidnapped civilians during this period.
Additionally, the military reported that 333 terrorists surrendered to troops, and they recovered 244 arms, along with an impressive 8,160 rounds of ammunition.
Director of Defence Military Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, addressed a press conference to share detailed operational figures. He revealed that the Nigerian military dismantled 104 illegal refining sites and recovered 1,610,402 litres of stolen petroleum products, signifying a major setback to criminal and terrorist operations nationwide.
During the review period, the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) faced a total of 367 attacks across various theatres. Operation Hadin Kai recorded 33 attacks, Operation Fansan Yamma had 115 attacks, Operation Savannah Shield faced 13 attacks, Operation Enduring Peace witnessed 147 attacks, Operation Whirl Stroke encountered 55 attacks, and Operation Udo Ka (OPUK) recorded four attacks. Operation Delta Safe, however, did not record any attacks.
Major General Onoja emphasized the military's decisive response to these incidents, highlighting their superior firepower and tactical maneuvers that effectively countered the assailants. He also noted that the third-quarter data exhibited significant month-to-month fluctuations in operational outcomes. From July to August, the number of bandits/criminals killed increased by 171.9 percent, while arrests declined by 4.2 percent.
The number of civilians rescued decreased by 51.4 percent, while surrendered terrorists increased by 252.6 percent, arms recovered rose by 28.6 percent, and ammunition recovered rose by 12.5 percent. From August to September, most indicators declined from their August peaks, including a decline of 85.8 percent in bandits/criminals killed, 28.3 percent in arrests, 10.8 percent in civilians rescued, 62.7 percent in surrenders, 51.9 percent in arms recovered, 24.3 percent in ammunition recovered, and 55.6 percent in crude oil recovered.
Despite these fluctuations, the September figures still demonstrated sustained operational activity, with 581 civilians rescued, 345 arrests, 75 surrenders, 52 arms and 2,335 rounds of ammunition recovered, and ongoing efforts to protect national economic resources.
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