*Recover 207 AK-47 rifles
*Defence minister commends troops over killing of notorious bandit, Isiaku Boderi
Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said that troops decimated 286 terrorists and armed bandits in one week of operations.
It said 244 terrorists were arrested while 83 oil bunkerers were apprehended even as 122 kidnapped hostages were rescued.
This came as the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, commended troops over the killing of notorious terror kingpin, Boderi, who terrorised Kaduna and the North-west for over a decade.
At a media briefing in Abuja, the Director, Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj Gen Edward Buba, troops neutralised 286 and arrested 244 terrorists and armed bandits.
“Troops neutralised 286 and arrested 244 of them. Troops also arrested 83 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 122 kidnapped hostages.
In the South-south, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of N2,565,479,720.00 only”, he said.
He further stated that troops recovered 587 assorted weapons and 7,943 assorted ammunition. “The breakdown as follows: 207 AK47 rifles, 56 locally fabricated guns, 17 pump action guns, 10 locally fabricated pistols, 22 dane guns, one FN rifle, 6 double barrel automatic pump action, 2 double barrel guns, 2 x 36 hand grenades and 10 IEDs.
“Others are 4,088 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 2,529 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 138 rounds of 9mm ammo, 39 rounds of 7.62mm refilled ammo, 331 P445 rounds of 7.62mm special, 180 rounds 5.5mm ammo, 2 PKT link of 7.62mm special, 445 live cartridges, 67 magazines, 6 HH radios,14 vehicles, 32 motorcycles, 34 mobile phones and the sum of N4,876,950.00 amongst other items”, he said.
Buba affirmed that troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 134 dugout pits, 79 boats and 116 storage tanks.
Other items recovered include 149 cooking ovens, one speedboat, 11 vehicles, 8 motorcycles and 74 illegal refining sites.
“Troops recovered 2,947,770 litres of stolen crude oil, 251,800 litres of illegally refined AGO, 6,125 litres of DPK and 6,790 litres of PMS”, he said.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has commended the Nigerian Military for neutralising and bringing to an end the terror reign of Isiaku Boderi and his cohorts in Kaduna State over the weekend.
A statement issued by the Director of Press, Ministry of Defence, Henshaw Ogubike, said the minister who was elated, described the action of the military as commendable adding that the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was committed to providing adequate security in every part of the country.
Matawalle said that the bravery and professionalism of the Nigerian military was commendable and should be sustained in order to stamp out insecurity from the country.
He charged other state actors to cooperate with the federal government in the fight against insurgency and terrorism.
He reiterated federal government’s unflinching support and readiness to sustain cooperation towards eradicating terrorism in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that Boderi and his cohorts terrorised Kaduna and and contiguos states for a very long time before his death
Boderi, as he was simply known, had for nearly a decade propagated a reign of terror and destruction in Kaduna State and neighboring Niger State.
It said his elimination was a major breakthrough in the fight against banditry and terrorism.
He said that the notorious bandit and ruthless killer, Boderi Isyaku, was neutralised in a gun duel alongside some of his fighters by troops of the Nigerian military,around Bada/Riyawa general areas of Chikun and Igabi Local councils.
