The Nigerian Army (NA)on Tuesday, 17 June, 2026 disclosed that troops fighting to rid the nation of terrorists and other criminal elements have rescued 388 kidnapped victims, arrested 31 terrorists and neutralized 10 terrorists in various encounters in the theatres of Operation in the last one week, reports thegazellenews.com
The Director of Defence Media Operations Major General Michael Onoja, made this disclosure on Tuesday, 17 June, 2026 while giving an update of military offensive against criminal elements in Abuja.
“In the North West, troops of Operation Fansan Yamna recorded decisive gains against terrorists and criminal elements in Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara States.
“On 5 June 2026 at a snap checkpoint enroute from Gusau to Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara State, troops intercepted a vehicle and recovered a locally fabricated 9mm pistol, 1,002 rounds of 7.62mm by 39mm ammunition, 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and 10 rounds of 9.4mm ammunition, all concealed in a sack of millet.
“The suspect, Mallam Mustapha Abubakar, arrested with the items, is believed to be an arms dealer.
“Preliminary interrogation revealed the weapons were destined for an unidentified contact in Shinkafi LGA; troops subsequently tracked and arrested the intended recipient at Tupa village in Shinkafi LGA.
“On the same date, troops conducted a fighting patrol to Birnin Tsaba, Boko, and Tsanu villages in Birnin Magaji LGA of Zamfara State made contact with terrorists, neutralized one and recovered seven motorcycles with no casualties recorded on troops.
“On 7 June 2026 at Tudun Wada village in Maru LGA of Zamfara State, troops conducted a fighting patrol and established contact with terrorists.
“Following the engagement, eight suspected terrorists were arrested and seven motorcycles were recovered.
“Additional items recovered included 30 phone batteries, 19 mobile phones, 41 power banks, seven phone chargers, four Baofeng handheld radios, four pairs of camouflage uniforms, and three pairs of boots.
“A shop belonging to the terrorists was destroyed. Separately, on 9 June 2026 in Kanoma District of Maru LGA of Zamfara State, troops responded to a terrorist attack on local communities, engaged the assailants at Kanoma Hill, neutralized one terrorist and recovered an AK-47 rifle with ammunition and two motorcycles.
“On 8 June 2026 at Angwan Garke village in Giwa LGA of Kaduna State, troops recovered four motorcycles, carted away by terrorists during an earlier attack, while separately confirming that seven of the terrorists neutralized during the incident had been discovered in the forest.
“Additionally, on 4 June 2026 at Dangani village in Musawa LGA of Katsina State, troops conducted a cordon and search of a suspected terrorists’ hideout, discovered and recovered an abandoned motorcycle believed to belong to a fleeing suspect.
“In the North East, tTroops of Operation Hadin Kai sustained heavy pressure on remnants of Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists through intensive fighting patrols, clearing enclaves and severing vital logistic supply links,” Onoja said,
He added“Between June 5 and June 11, 2026, troops executed several tactical interceptions across Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states. Notably, on 5 June 2026, troops conducted clearance operations in the Amuda general area of Gwoza LGA of Borno State, and safely recovered an 8-year-old child.
“Ali Musa, who had successfully escaped from a terrorist enclave in Saha. This was followed by the recovery of 3 additional women and children in the same area on 6 June 2026, who escaped after rigorous military bombardments forced their abductors to abandon camp.
“Furthermore, on 11 June 2026, another 3 abductees were intercepted wandering in the bush around Amuda, having broken free from the Saha and Chinene terrorist hideouts due to relentless military operations on the Mandara Mountains.
“All escapees received medical screening, administrative registration, and first aid at military facilities before being safely reunited with their communities.
“The operational achievements peaked on 6 June 2026, when troops executed a highly sophisticated multi-axis raid across the Mandara Mountains in Gwoza LGA of Borno State.
“This daring maneuver induced widespread chaos within the terrorist networks, enabling ground troops to successfully rescue 360 civilians, predominantly women and children, who had been held since their abduction during an attack on the Ngoshe community on March 3, 2026.
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