MILITARY SAYS 6,260 ENEMIES NEUTRALISED, 5,365 CIVILIANS RESCUED IN TWO-YEAR OFFENSIVE

The Defence Headquarters has disclosed that Nigerian military operations across the country have resulted in the neutralization of 6,260 terrorists, bandits, and other violent actors over the past two years. Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja, Brigadier General Ibrahim Abu-Mawashi, Deputy Director of Defence Media Operations, described the numbers as reflective of a sustained nationwide counterinsurgency campaign.
The operations also led to the arrest of 14,138 suspects and the rescue of 5,365 civilians. “These outcomes show our forces are delivering results,” Abu-Mawashi noted. He detailed recoveries that included over 100,000 rounds of ammunition and hundreds of illegal weapons.
In the oil-rich Niger Delta, troops shut down illegal refineries and recovered stolen crude and petroleum products worth ₦83 billion. Meanwhile, in the conflict-ridden Northeast, 1,246 insurgents from Boko Haram and ISWAP were killed, with over 1,900 civilians rescued from captivity.
The Northwest zone also saw fierce confrontations. The military neutralized 1,374 bandits, arrested 2,160 suspects, and freed more than 3,200 abducted persons. North-central Nigeria recorded 730 enemy combatants killed, while the Southeast saw 440 criminals eliminated during security operations. In the Southwest, 80 armed suspects were killed and nearly 178,000 rounds of ammunition were seized — the highest quantity of any region.
Defence spokesperson Brigadier General Tukur Gusau reiterated the military’s commitment to transparency and public engagement, calling the report a reflection of the Armed Forces’ resolve to protect Nigerian lives and restore stability nationwide.