The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) announced on Friday, February 9, 2025, that military operations across Nigeria resulted in the elimination of 27 terrorists, the arrest of 62 suspects, and the rescue of 44 kidnapped hostages between January 30 and February 7, 2025.
In a statement, Major General Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations, detailed key successes in counterterrorism efforts and the fight against oil theft.
He revealed that troops apprehended 23 individuals involved in oil theft and prevented the theft of crude oil worth approximately ₦292.6 million in the South-South region.
“Troops successfully thwarted oil theft valued at around ₦292,644,100, recovering 253,330 litres of stolen crude oil, 42,000 litres of illegally refined diesel, and 5,100 litres of petrol,” Kangye stated.
Destruction of Illegal Refining Facilities
During the operations, troops dismantled:
220 illegal crude oil cooking ovens
23 dugout pits
Two boats
17 storage tanks
24 illegal refining sites
Items Seized
One pumping machine
Three motorcycles
Two vehicles
Mobile phones
Weapons and Ammunition Recovered
Security forces recovered a total of 61 weapons and 1,584 rounds of ammunition, including:
26 AK-47 rifles
Nine Dane guns
Eight pump-action guns
920 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition
Breakdown of Military Operations
Operation Hadin Kai (Northeast Nigeria)
18 terrorists neutralized
11 arrested
31 kidnapped victims rescued
Operation Fasan Yamma (Northwest Nigeria)
Eight terrorists neutralized
Six arrested
55 hostages freed
Operation Safe Haven (North-Central Nigeria)
Four extremists neutralized
13 hostages rescued
Operation Delta Safe (South-South Nigeria)
23 oil theft suspects arrested
Destruction of illegal refining sites
Weapons and ammunition recovered
Operation Whirl Stroke (North-Central Nigeria)
One violent extremist neutralized
30 suspects arrested
South-East Operations
Five IPOB/ESN members arrested
Recovery and detonation of IEDs
Four kidnapped victims rescued
The operations spanned multiple states, including Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Plateau, Kaduna, and Katsina, preventing attacks and making key arrests.
Kangye reaffirmed the Nigerian Armed Forces’ commitment to protecting lives and property while adhering to international best practices in security operations.
