DEFENCE
Troops Rescue 54 Kidnap Victims, Neutralises 22 Terrorists in One Week – DHQ
By David Torough, Abuja
The Armed Forces of Nigeria rescued at least 54 kidnapped victims and neutralised 22 terrorists during military operations conducted across the country between August 20 and 27, 2026, the Defence Headquarters has said.
The military, in its latest operational update issued on Friday, said troops also arrested several suspected terrorists, kidnappers and arms traffickers, while disrupting illegal oil bunkering and refining activities across the country.
In the North-East, troops of Operation HADIN KAI rescued eight abductees—three women and five children—around Ngoshe in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State on August 22.
Three additional minors who escaped from terrorist enclaves near Amuda Bridge in Gwoza were also rescued.The military said troops later arrested suspected terrorist logistics suppliers, spies and fighters in parts of Borno and Adamawa states. During a clearance operation at Kopre Mountain in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, troops neutralised 21 terrorists, destroyed their camp and recovered six AK-47 rifles, 23 magazines and 586 rounds of ammunition.
The operation also recorded multiple terrorist surrenders in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, with the surrendering fighters and their families reportedly citing sustained military pressure and internal clashes among rival terrorist factions.
In the North-West, troops under Operation FANSAN YAMMA rescued 31 abducted persons in separate operations across Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna states.
The rescued victims included six people along the Dandume-Sheme Road in Katsina State, six at Gadan Manya in Zamfara State, three children in Kachia, Kaduna State, 14 victims at Magazu in Tsafe, Zamfara State, and two female captives at Hayin Babangida in Igabi, Kaduna State.
However, the military said a male farmer abducted in the Kaduna incident was found dead from gunshot wounds before troops could rescue him.
Troops also arrested suspected gunrunners and terrorists, including a reported terrorist kingpin, Mallam Sanusi Mai Glass, in Katsina State. An assault rifle allegedly concealed in a bag of millet and destined for a terrorist kingpin in Zamfara was also intercepted.
In the North-Central region, Operation WHIRL STROKE troops rescued two kidnap victims in Lokoja, Kogi State, and arrested suspected terrorists and arms traffickers in Taraba and Kogi states. One suspect reportedly confessed to supplying four AK-47 rifles and about 6,000 rounds of ammunition.
Troops operating under Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD in Niger State also repelled a terrorist attack in Dekara, Borgu Local Government Area. The attackers fled into Kainji Lake National Park, abandoning an AK-47 rifle, ammunition, six motorcycles, 49 mobile phones, nine phone batteries and 10 memory cards.
The military said the recovered communication devices and other materials could provide intelligence on terrorist networks operating in the area.
In the South-South, Operation DELTA SAFE troops intensified operations against crude oil theft and illegal refining. The Nigerian Navy disrupted oil storage infrastructure containing approximately 93,000 litres of stolen crude oil in Bonny, Rivers State.
Troops also intercepted vehicles conveying about 8,500 litres of suspected illegally refined petroleum products in Imo State and disrupted three illegal refining sites in Rivers State, where approximately 103,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil were recovered.
Two tanker trucks preparing to siphon crude oil from an illegal collection point in Eleme, Rivers State, were also intercepted, with two suspects arrested.
In the South-East, troops of Operation UDO KA disrupted illegal oil activities and raided suspected IPOB/ESN strongholds in Anambra State in collaboration with the Department of State Services and local security personnel.
The operation at Obene and Abator villages in Ogbaru Local Government Area resulted in the neutralisation of one suspected terrorist and the recovery of pump-action guns, motorcycles and materials allegedly intended for the fabrication of improvised explosive devices.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, commended troops for what he described as their gallantry, discipline and sustained commitment across the various theatres.
Oluyede also welcomed a recent gesture by Air Peace, whose staff and passengers gave military personnel a spontaneous standing ovation while boarding a flight in Abuja. The airline’s Chairman, Allen Onyema, had directed that military and police personnel receive priority boarding and be applauded in recognition of their service.
The Defence Headquarters said the gesture demonstrated public goodwill towards security personnel and urged other stakeholders to recognise the sacrifices of serving personnel and veterans.
The CDS further commended the collaboration between the military, police, Department of State Services, local security groups and other stakeholders, while urging Nigerians, traditional rulers and community leaders to continue providing security agencies with timely and useful information.
The Armed Forces of Nigeria, according to the statement, remains committed to sustaining its current operational tempo against terrorism, kidnapping, criminality and economic sabotage nationwide.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recovered over 2.3 tonnes of assorted illicit drugs in raids and interdiction operations across Ondo, Edo, Delta, Kaduna, Plateau, Bayelsa, and Kano respectively.
The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Giving a breakdown, Babafemi said that two separate arrests at Ughelli and Asaba, Delta State yielded a haul of ampoules of pentazocine injection, codeine syrup, tramadol, diazepam, flunitrazepam (hypnox) and MDMA (Molly).
He said that several of them were concealed in music speakers, while two suspects were arrested.
Also, in Kano, a raid at Sabon Gari led to the arrest of a 20-year-old suspect with a staggering 785,000 capsules of Pregabalin weighing 669.425kg.
Similarly, Babafemi said that a stop-and-search operation along the Zaria–Kano–Hadejia road netted 1,700 tablets of diazepam concealed inside loaves of bread seized from another suspect.
He added that a 51-year-old man was also nabbed at Katako market, Jos, with 157,100 capsules of tramadol.
He also added that the agency also sustained pressure on illicit cannabis cultivation with the destruction of 4,832.56 kilograms of skunk on cannabis farms.
The NDLEA spokesman said that the farms which were at Usen Forest, Igwe-Oke Forest and Ogboha Forest, in Ovia South West, Owan East and Owan West LGA, Edo state had a suspect arrested on Friday.
In another development, NDLEA operatives in Ondo, acting on credible intelligence on Wednesday, raided a residence along Oke-Iya, Ijoka Road, Akure.
Babafemi said that they recovered 186kg of skunk concealed in the boot of a Toyota Avalon car marked ABJ 917 FV, from a 58-year-old suspect who was planning to move the consignment to Jos for onward distribution.
Additionally, in Kaduna, a female suspect was arrested at Gonin Gora with 369.6kg of cannabis, while in Bayelsa, four suspects including a 70-year-old woman were arrested at Ovom, Yenagoa, with 110 bags of cannabis weighing 876kg.
Babafemi quoted the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, commending the officers and men of Ondo, Edo, Delta, Kaduna, Plateau, Bayelsa, and Kano Commands for the various successful operations.
Marwa enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.
He charged them to continue to shut every pipeline being used by drug cartels, whether at the airports, seaports, land borders, or in the hinterland where cannabis was cultivated.(NAN)
The Anambra Police Command said it has rescued three kidnap victims and arrested 57 suspects in connection with kidnapping, armed robbery, cult-related violence, murder and other offences in the state.
The Commissioner of Police (CP) in the state, Nnanna Ama, disclosed this during the weekend, during an operational visit to the command Headquarters in Awka, by the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) zone 13, Ukpo, Miller Dantawye.
“The command has rescued three kidnapped victims and arrested 57 suspects in connection with kidnapping, armed robbery, cult-related violence, murder and other serious offences,” he said.
Ama, who presented the command’s scorecard over the past one month during the visit, also said that 18 assorted firearms and 43 rounds of ammunition were recovered.
He said within the period under review that the command destroyed a criminal camp which significantly disrupted criminal operations within the state.
The CP attributed the results to coordinated intelligence gathering, targeted tactical operations, strategic deployment and sustained pressure on identified criminal networks.
He said that the feat was achieved by the command’s tactical units, Area Commands and divisional formations, working with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders.
The CP promised that the command would not relent in its offensive against criminal elements across the state.
He noted that operational priorities would continue to centre on intelligence development, precision deployment, aggressive patrols, rapid response, disruption of criminal hideouts and sustained pressure on identified criminal networks.
Ama directed operational commanders and personnel to remain proactive, maintain heightened vigilance and continuously adapt deployment strategies in response to emerging crime patterns and intelligence.
He also reaffirmed the command’s determination to deny criminals freedom of action and to ensure that the state remained hostile to kidnapping, armed robbery, cult violence and other forms of organised crime.
Responding, Dantawye commended the command and described the operational results as encouraging.
He urged officers and men of the command to build on the gains through discipline, professionalism, courage, effective supervision and strict adherence to the rule of law.
The AIG placed particular emphasis on intelligence gathering and utilisation, directing personnel to deepen intelligence networks, strengthen community engagement and translate actionable information into timely operational interventions.
He further charged commanders to intensify operations against kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, drug-related offences and other violent crimes and to conduct every operation professionally, and lawfully with respect for human rights.
Dantawye also emphasised the importance of public confidence, urging personnel to maintain respectful and responsive engagement with members of the public.
He noted that credible intelligence and community cooperation remained critical force mobilisers in modern policing.(NAN)
By David Torough, Abuja
The Nigerian Army has denied reports that a group of Islamic scholars were abducted at the residence of former Zamfara State governor and Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of the state.
The Army, through the Headquarters 8 Division/Sector 2 Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, described the reports circulating on various media platforms as misleading and false.
In a statement issued on Sunday, September 13, 2026, the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division, Nigerian Army/Sector 2 Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, said no cleric was abducted at Senator Yari’s residence.
According to the statement, intelligence reports indicated that some persons were abducted while travelling from the Sububu forest axis in Bakura Local Government Area towards Talata Mafara.
The Army said troops, working closely with other security agencies and local intelligence networks, had intensified efforts to rescue the victims.
It urged members of the public to disregard what it described as sensationalised narratives and unverified information that could create unnecessary panic or compromise ongoing tactical operations.
The military also called on residents to remain calm and vigilant while providing security agencies with timely and actionable intelligence to support efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted persons.
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