Mariam Sanni
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters, DHQ has disclosed that the military has neutralized 317 insurgents , arrested 314 terrorists and rescued 221 kidnapped civilians in their various theaters of operations across the country in the 2nd quarter of the year.
This was revealed by the Director of Media Operations, DMO Major General Micheal Onoja while briefing pressmen on the activities of the armed forces in Abuja.
Major General Onoja explained that no fewer than 73 insurgent was killed in the North east, 159 suspects arrested, 112 kidnapped victims rescued while 18 repented terrorists surrendered to the troops .
According to him, troops of Operation HADIN KAI sustained offensive operations against Boko Haram/ISWAP remnants across Adamawa, Borno, Taraba, and Yobe States, recording a compelling succession of operational successes during the period.
He stated that the period 15 – 25 May 2026, witnessed a marked acceleration in clearance operations and an unprecedented wave of voluntary terrorist surrenders, powerfully demonstrating the irreversible erosion of insurgent morale under relentless military pressure.
The DMO said that troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMAsustained engagements against armed terrorists across Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara States throughout the period, severely degrading hostile networks through aggressive offensive action and precision intelligence operations.
He added that in all, 24 insurgents were neutralized, 13 were arrested, while 22 civilians were rescued.
Speaking on Operation ENDURING PEACE, he said troops of demonstrated relentless operational drive across Plateau and parts of Bauchi, Federal Capital Territory, Kaduna and Nasarawa States during the period, recording landmark results in the neutralisation of kidnapping networks and the elimination of dangerous criminal infrastructure embedded within civilian communities.
He mentioned that no fewer than 9 terrorists were neutralized, 36 were arrested while 15 civilians were rescued.
He noted that following the the arrest of two kidnappers in Qua’an Pan LGA of Plateau State on 29 April, a targeted follow-up operation neutralised four additional gang members in their hideout.
Similarly, a suspect was apprehended along the Abaji-Kwali road in Abuja, found to have concealed 250 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition within a vehicle’s engine compartment.
He stressed that the arrest exposed the calculated mechanisms through which illegal arms are trafficked within the country.
“Troops of Operation DELTA SAFE sustained a multi-domain offensive across Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Rivers States throughout the period, dismantling kidnapping networks and criminal economic saboteurs targeting Nigeria’s petroleum infrastructure.
“In all, 14 criminals were arrested, 3 illegal refining sites were destroyed while 21, 910 litres of assorted petroleum products were recovered.
“Complementing these humanitarian efforts, on 13 May 2026, the Nigerian Army, through Operation FANSAN YAMMA, donated 400 bags of fertilizer to farming communities in Maru LGA of Zamfara State in a timely and impactful intervention aimed at boosting food production and reinforcing civil-military relations ahead of the 2026 farming season.
“ At a distribution ceremony held at the palace of the Emir of Maru, the Nigerian Army reaffirmed the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to improving community livelihoods through non-kinetic initiatives that run parallel with active security operations,” he stated.
