Defence Headquarters Confirms Neutralization of 1,937 Terrorists in Third Quarter of 2024, Intensifies Leadership Decapitation Strategy
By Abiodun Folarin
In a series of decisive operations aimed at dismantling terrorist organizations, the Defence Headquarters has confirmed that its troops neutralized 1,937 terrorists during the third quarter of 2024.
During a biweekly press briefing held on Thursday at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, highlighted that the military’s strategy focused on eliminating terrorist leadership and dismantling their networks. He noted that troops have successfully targeted terrorist leaders, commanders, and operatives across multiple conflict zones.
Buba emphasized that throughout the third quarter, the combined efforts of the air force and ground troops carried out synchronized bombardments that significantly weakened the terrorists’ military capabilities and disrupted their operational cohesion.
“Troops’ offensive actions culminated in the neutralization of over 65 notable terrorist leaders, commanders, and combatants across all theatres of operations,” Buba said. Among the terrorist leaders eliminated were figures such as Munzir Arika, Sani Dilla (Dan Hausawan Jubillaram), Ameer Modu, Matawal Bitrus, Thomas Benedict, Mohammed Sani, Rimamy (aka Omo), Terkimbi Injoko, Jacob Uzege, and Kachalla Ɗan Baleri, along with others.
In addition to neutralizing 1,937 terrorists, Buba revealed that troops had arrested 2,782 suspected terrorists and other criminal elements, while rescuing 1,854 kidnapped hostages. The military also recovered 1,304 weapons and 43,347 rounds of ammunition, thwarting oil theft operations valued at over ₦13 billion (₦13,081,605,534.00).
Providing further details, Buba outlined that during the period, troops confiscated 688 AK-47 rifles, 32,945 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 9,677 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, 191 assorted arms, and 8,292 assorted rounds of ammunition. Additionally, the military seized 12,143,870 liters of stolen crude oil, 2,623,216 liters of illegally refined AGO, 6,970 liters of DPK, and 31,450 liters of PMS, significantly boosting the nation’s daily crude oil production.
Buba underscored that the military remains relentless in its efforts to keep the pressure on terrorist groups until they are completely defeated. “The military is focused on dismantling the terror infrastructure of these groups and destroying their will to fight,” he said.
“We are attacking any threat we identify and removing it. The objective of the war is to destroy these groups, decapitate them, and erode their ability to launch terror attacks against citizens,” Buba concluded.
