Troops kill 10 top terrorist commanders in 3 months – DHQ

Troops kill 10 top terrorist commanders in 3 months – DHQ

The military high command yesterday released the full names of some top terrorist commanders who were killed in the northern region of the country during various operations across all theatres between January and March, 2024.

Among those killed by the troops attached to different operations included the Head of Is-Al Furqan Province (ISGS and ISWAP), Abu Bilal Minuki popularly known as Abubakar Mainok, among his criminal gang members as well as Haruna Isiya Boderi.

Other top terrorist commanders neutralised by the troops included Kachallah Alhaji Dayi, Kachallah Idi (Namaidaro), Kachallah Kabiru (Doka), Kachallah Azarailu (Farin-Ruwa), Kachallah Balejo, Kachallah Ubangida, Alhaji Baldu and Kachallah Damina.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, who revealed this at Defence Headquarters, Abuja, at a press briefing explained that Damina was neutralised alongside over 50 combatants.

Recall that Boderi, a notorious terrorist who had operated along Birnin Gwari Forest in Kaduna State, as well as the Abuja-Kaduna Highway, and kidnapped travellers for ransom, was killed by troops on Feb. 21, 2024.

“The armed forces are fighting a vicious enemy in the ongoing operations across the country. Nevertheless, the military is ready, prepared, equipped and focused on what to do with these terrorists and their cohorts.

“Surely, we have been collecting intelligence, hunting them and striking them where they may be hiding and hibernating. Our aim is to kill these terrorists and the infrastructure that supports them.

“Accordingly, we have employed significant firepower to neutralise several terrorists and disrupt their activities,” Buba, a Major-General, told journalists during the briefing.

The senior military officer explained that the feat was achieved through synchronised airstrikes, which both the ground and air troops carried out on terrorists’ enclaves.

He said, “For instance, immediately upon acquisition of vital targets, fighter jets are scrambled to carry out major bombarding raids on significant terrorist enclaves.

“Troops equally conducted ambushes, raids, fighting patrols and offensive against the terrorists. The attacks and offensive actions by troops during the period January-March 2024, resulted in 2,351 terrorists neutralised; 2,308 persons arrested and 1,241 kidnapped hostages rescued.

“Furthermore, troops recovered 2,847 weapons, 58,492 ammunitions and denied the oil theft of an estimated sum over N20 billion.

“Breakdown for the period includes and is not limited to the following: 1,497 AK47 rifles, 33,878 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 12,698 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 948 assorted arms and 5,520 assorted ammo.

“Others are 21,573,310 litres of stolen crude oil, 2,723,430 litres of illegally refined AGO, 53,300 litres of DPK and 52,730 litres of PMS amongst other items.

“The foregoing demonstrates that ongoing operations are effective and result-oriented. Accordingly, the military is raising the bar in the prosecution of the war. Consequently, citizens will continue to witness the incremental effectiveness and efficiency of the armed forces.”