By David Torough, Abuja; Attah Ede, Makurdi

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) said the Nigeria Police Force neutralised 78 terrorists and rescued 175 kidnap victims across 326 operations conducted in the past month.The Director General of the NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, gave the figures at a monthly Joint Security Press Briefing held at the Headquarters of the Agency in Abuja yesterday, where he disclosed that the briefing will now be conducted monthly with the security agencies.

The DG further disclosed that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps resolved 720 conflicts, while the Federal Road Safety Corps recorded over 3,000 fatalities within the same period.He stated that the federal government had escalated security operations across the country, adding that the government was tackling banditry, insurgency, and trafficking “through seamless interagency cooperation, resulting in major arrests, rescues and asset seizures.”“The police have carried out 326 operations within the time frame that we are relating to, of which 2,901 arrests were made. 175 kidnap victims were rescued, 78 terrorists were neutralised, and six arms trafficking rings were dismantled. 720 conflicts were resolved by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. 2,838 road fatalities were recorded by the Federal Safety Corps.“The government’s position on this is that the FG has escalated security operations nationwide, merging tactical enforcements with intelligence-led interventions. Banditry, insurgency, trafficking, and other crimes are being tackled through seamless interagency cooperation, resulting in major arrests, rescues, and asset seizures.“From the northeast to the Niger Delta, our security forces are reclaiming the peace, one operation at a time. Nigeria is fighting back. Decisively and collaboratively, we are taking back our country from people who are involved in these nefarious activities. Our call to action is this: we urge citizens to report threats, avoid amplifying unverified content, and join hands with authorities to protect our communities,” he said.Speaking on the activities made by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, the NOA boss said, “The recoveries made by NDLEA: 2.9 million kg of cannabis, 520 kg of tramadol, 7.35 kg of methamphetamine. Arms recovered in these operations: 12 AK47s, 2 GPMGs, and 2,200-plus rounds of ammunition. During this period, NAFDAC seized 10 containers of Tramadol and five expired tomato pastes.”On the government’s position on the war on drugs, Issa-Onilu described drugs and illegal arms as “the oxygen of criminality”, adding that government agencies were “systematically disabling these supply chains on highways, borders, and in markets, while investing in public education and rehabilitation.”He called on members of the public to say no to drugs, report peddlers, and support reformed users, adding that communities were the frontline in the war against drugs.The Agency hailed the efforts of security agencies, noting that Nigeria’s security forces were “recording real, measurable gains,” while calling on Nigerians to join the fight against insecurity.“Security does not start in a battlefield-it begins in our homes, our values, our truthfulness, and our resolve. Let us protect what is ours, stand with our institutions, and unite behind the cause of a peaceful, progressive Nigeria,” the DG stated.Benue Launches Drone Surveillance to Monitor Communities, IDP CampsAs part of measures to address the incessant killings, Benue State Government yesterday, launched drone surveillance services to monitor security situations in communities across the state.The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian/ Disasters Management, Dr. James Iorpuu launched the electronic security gadgets at the SEMA headquarters in Makurdi.Iorpuu maintained that these drone-enabled situational reports shall henceforth be available to the public on all our digital platforms, ensuring transparency, accountability, and faster mobilisation of aid and partnerships.According to him, the drone surveillance will also assist to monitor activities within all Internally Displaced Persons across the state.Iorpuu noted that BSEMA with technical expertise of Benue Digital Infrastructure Company Plc has now introduced drone surveillance services in capturing real time emergency response images and videos across affected communities including activities within all IDP camps.He enjoined the people of state, and the diaspora communities, humanitarian partners and patriotic stakeholders to adopt and use the digital channels.”People must ignore any unofficial or politically-motivated links which could only heighten tension in the state.”This platform is built for you, powered by you and with your support we shall overcome emergency challenges in our dear State”.”With the introduction of drone surveillance, the state could now guarantee a smarter, faster, more transparent, and collaborative emergency response mechanism that showcases the Digital Benue spirit to the world.”As we commission the Benue E-Emergency Platforms today, we proudly position Benue as the undisputed pioneer in digital emergency management in Nigeria,” he said.Military Troops Rescue Two Police Officers, Nine Others Abducted in BenueJoint Military Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) yesterday, said it has rescued two serving Police inspectors and nine others from their captives in Benue State.The Force Commander, OPWS, Maj. Gen Moses Gara, who disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on Monday in Makurdi, said that two suspects were arrested during the operations and were being interrogated.According to Gara, the 11 victims including two police officers were rescued at Tse-Ahur and Chito areas in Ukum LG during the raid while two suspects were arrested, adding that the 11 rescued kidnapped victims were four females and seven males.The commander stated the victims were being given medical attention and profiled for onward reuniting with their families.He explained that the high-impact operation was carried out simultaneously at Tse-Ahur and Chito areas of Ukum Local Government of Benue, with Sector 3 providing a strategic blocking position in Gindin Mangoro, Wukari LGA of Taraba to interdict fleeing insurgents.”Four FN rifles, three G3 rifles, four AK-47 rifles, one PKT machine gun, one locally fabricated dane gun, fifteen AK-47 magazines, three FN rifle magazines, thirty-one rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition were recovered from the armed bandits.”We equally recovered 184 rounds of 7.62mm x 54 ammunition, one pistol magazine, five smoke discharge canisters and several fetish charms while preliminary investigation revealed that one of the arrested suspects was in charge of their armory while the other was the victims’ security guard.”However, following consistent news about the abduction of people in Sankara axis of the state (Kastina-Ala, Ukum and Logo LGs) they carried out the operation in the area to flush them out. The operation carried out on 2&3 August was headed by Commander Sector 1, Col Kolawole Bukoye and supported by the Air Component of the OPWS targeting the Benue and neighbouring Taraba State”, Major General Gara maintained.He applauded the Chief of Defense Staff and other Service Chiefs for their continued support and for deploying more personnel for the operation and assured that troops would maintain operational pressure, dominate the battlespace, and restore peace and security to Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa States.A rescued Police personnel attached to Numan Divisional Police Station in Adamawa Command, John Ngbede, who spoke to journalists, said he was held captive for 48 days.”On 16th June while I was on my way to my station between Zaki Biam and Wukari about 6:15pm, we ran into people in military uniforms.”They stopped us and took us to an unknown destination. Today I’m 48 days in their custody. They collected N3.5m from me but I don’t know what they collected from others. They collected the money but refused to release me, “.he saidAlso, Odah Patrick of River State Command stated that he was granted leave to sick medical care only to be kidnapped on 14th July while coming through Abakariki into Benue.He said the criminals collected N3m from him but refused to release him adding that he spend 16 days in their custody before the OPWS intervention