…74 terrorists killed, 130 other suspects nabbed
Stolen crude and other illegally refined products worth N1,008,750,901.00 were seized by troops conducting operations against economic sabotage in the South South general area in the last one week, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) revealed on Thursday.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Markus Kangye, who made this disclosure in a statement, added that a total of 74 suspected errorists were killed, while 130 other criminal suspects were apprehended during the period under review.
“During the week under review, land component of the Armed Forces conducted joint operations with the ONSA Team, security agencies and hybrid forces.
“These operations include; fighting and confidence building patrols, raids, ambushes and clearance as well as search and rescue operations.
“In the course of the operations, they neutralized several terrorists, apprehended their collaborators, rescued kidnapped victims and received surrendered terrorists.
“Gunrunners, oil theft collaborators and other violent extremists were also apprehended. The air component also conducted several close air support and armed reconnaissance patrols, as well as air interdiction missions.
“For instance, between 5 February – 13 March 2025, a total of 74 terrorists were neutralized while 130 suspected others were arrested. Troops also apprehended 31 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 61 kidnapped hostages.
“In the South South, troops foiled oil theft estimated to the tune of about One Billion, Eight Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Nine Hundred and One Naira (N1,008,750,901.00) only”, the operations’ spokesperson said.
The breakdown included 675,266 litres of stolen crude oil, 312,593 litres of illegally refined AGO and 4,500 litres of DPK.
Additionally, troops discovered and destroyed 51 crude oil cooking ovens, 49 dugout pits, 43 boats, 28 storage tanks, 131 drums and 56 illegal refining sites. Other items recovered include 4 pumping machines, 4 tricycles, 3 motorcycles, 7 mobile phones and 8 vehicles, among others.
