DHQs
The Defence Headquarters says the troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) neutralised 114 terrorists, arrested 146 suspects and rescued 60 abducted persons during operations across the North East in August.
The Director of Defence Media Operations (DMO), Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, made this known on Monday in Abuja while briefing newsmen on military operations conducted across the country in August.
Onoja said the operations also led to the surrender of 201 terrorists, recovery of weapons and ammunition, and disruption of terrorist logistics and support networks.
He said troops sustained aggressive counter-terrorism operations across Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Bauchi, targeting terrorist fighters, logistics networks, informants and hideouts, while troops simultaneously conducted rescue operations in areas affected by terrorist activities.
Onoja said troops rescued two women and two children near Amuda Bridge in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno on Aug. 1.
He said the victims had been held since the 2023 farming season before troops rescued and handed them over to the community head of Ngoshe.
“On Aug. 3, troops rescued 18-year-old Blessing Tugul, who was abducted in November 2025 around Dogobar Kopri in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno.
“The victim was given medical attention before being reunited with her family,” he said.
Onoja said troops rescued five female abductees around Amuda Bridge along the Ngoshe-Gava Road in Gwoza on Aug. 10.
He said the women had escaped from a terrorist enclave in the Mandara Mountains before troops located and rescued them.
Onoja further disclosed that on Aug. 17, the troops rescued a 63-year-old Cameroonian national abducted on the Gwoza-Cameroon axis and eight abductees comprising three women and five children around Ngoshe in Gwoza on Aug. 22.
According to him, three minors who escaped from terrorist enclaves around Amuda Bridge were also rescued by the troops.
The director said troops also sustained intelligence-led operations to dismantle terrorist support structures and disrupt their access to weapons, supplies and information.
He said two suspected terrorist logistics suppliers were arrested in Monguno, Borno, on Aug. 3 with provisions allegedly meant for terrorist camps.
According to him, another suspected logistics supplier was arrested at Gualaram Village in Magumeri on Aug. 4, while a suspected terrorist informant was arrested at Zangola in Gubio on Aug. 5.
“On Aug. 7, troops arrested two suspected logistics facilitators in Mubi and Garaha in Adamawa, while follow-up operations on Aug. 12 led to the arrest of two additional members of the same supply network.
“Between Aug. 8 and Aug. 9, troops apprehended five suspected terrorist collaborators and cattle rustlers at a checkpoint along the Mandaragirau-Sabongeri Road in Biu, Borno.
“A suspected terrorist informant was also arrested at Dambua IDP camp on Aug. 10,” he said.
Onoja said further operations between Aug. 22 and Aug. 27 resulted in the arrest of suspected logistics suppliers, spies and fighters in Biu, Guzamala and Dambua areas of Borno.
He added that similar operations in Michika, Adamawa, also led to the arrest of suspected terrorist support operatives.
He said troops on Aug. 7 tracked and neutralised a terrorist at a hideout in Kaniram East, Biu, following an earlier attack on troops at Malam Fatori, destroying the hideout and recovered arms, ammunition and other items.
Onoja said troops on Aug. 15 repelled a two-pronged terrorist attack at Mandaragirau, neutralising two terrorists and recovering rifles, RPG bombs and other dangerous ordnance.
According to him, troops also engaged terrorists at Megerum Village in Song Local Government Area of Adamawa, forcing them to withdraw and recovering ammunition and items used to restrain abducted persons.
“Between Aug. 26 and Aug. 27, troops conducted a clearance operation at Koprik Mountain in Hong, Adamawa, destroying a terrorist camp after neutralising 21 terrorists.
“The operation also resulted in the recovery of six AK-47 rifles, 23 magazines and 586 rounds of ammunition.
“On Aug. 27, troops thwarted an attempted terrorist infiltration along the Gulu-Bagana axis in Gwoza, neutralising one terrorist,” he said.
Onoja said sustained military pressure also contributed to a wave of surrenders by terrorists and their family members during the month.
He said 20 persons surrendered at Kuari in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno between Aug. 2 and Aug. 4.
According to him, between Aug. 10 and Aug. 12, 19 persons comprising terrorist fighters, women, children and teenagers surrendered at locations in Bama, Mafa and Gwoza.
“Similarly, 47 terrorist family members, mostly women and children, surrendered between Aug. 16 and Aug. 20 around Amuda Bridge, Gwoza and Mafa, while another six terrorist fighters surrendered in Kukawa during the period.
“On Aug. 22, a terrorist leader, fighters and family members surrendered at locations in Bama following sustained military pressure,’ he said.
Onoja said the military’s coordinated response also thwarted a major terrorist attack on Kukawa on Aug. 28.
He said troops of OPHK repelled the attack through coordinated ground and air operations, while subsequent air strikes neutralised 25 terrorists and destroyed 10 motorcycles.
According to him, the strikes followed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance efforts that tracked fleeing terrorists towards the Tunbuns-Kangarwa axis.
He said the operation further degraded the terrorists’ mobility and fighting capability.
He said the cumulative results demonstrated the Armed Forces’ resolve to sustain offensive, intelligence-led and coordinated operations against terrorism and other forms of criminality.
Onoja assured Nigerians that the military would continue to work with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders to protect lives, communities and critical national assets. (NAN)
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Edited by Sadiya Hamza
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