The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), yesterday said soldiers fighting the counter insurgency war and other security operations across the country have killed scores of terrorists, arrested 85 suspects and rescued 66 kidnap victims in the month of August.
The DHQ, also said soldiers discovered and destroyed 97 illegal refining sites and over 488 equipment used for illegal bunkering in the Niger delta region and foiled crude theft worth over foiled oil theft worth over N545 million.
Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, made this known at a media briefing on update of military operations conducted across the country in August.
Gen. Kangye, while noting that troops have demonstrated optimally in sustaining the conduct of re-newed operational strategy to farmers within the crisis areas to carry out farming activities, said troops recovered large quantities of various arms, such as automatic weapons, RPG tubes, anti aircraft guns, machine guns, locally fabricated guns, and improvised explosive devices across the theatre.
Giving a breakdown of the operations, Kangye, said troops of Operation Hadin Kai in the North East, eliminated scores of Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters, arrested 15 suspects (including 13 collaborators, a gunrunner, a drug peddler) and rescued 8 kidnapped victims.
In the North West, he said troops neutralised terrorists in states, arrested 23 suspects and rescued 24 kidnapped victims.
"In the North Central, troops of Operation Enduring Peace killed terrorists, arrested seven criminals and rescued two kidnap victims. Another suspect was caught with N3 million ransom cash in Bassa LG".
Continuing, the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke in Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Kogi and the FCT ,arrested nine extremists and rescued 13 hostages, adding that the joint operations across all theatres recovered large quantities of arms, ammunition, vehicles, motorcycles and explosives.
"During the month under review, troops have continued to intensify joint operations aimed at neutralizing threats to national security, restoring stability, and safeguarding the lives and property of citizens."