By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Joint troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria have so far neutralized a total of eight thousand and thirty-four (8,034) terrorists, while eleven thousand six hundred and twenty-three (11,623) suspects have been arrested, and six thousand, three hundred and seventy-six (6,376) hostages have been rescued within the year.
The disclosure was made by the Director of Legal Service and Coordinator, Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee (SCIPC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Mijinyawa Zakari at the end of the year press briefing on key achievements and progress recorded across all sectors of the national security and emergency response framework in Abuja, Nigeria Capital.
Zakari said the military also recovered a total of eight thousand, two hundred and sixteen (8,216) weapons and two hundred and eleven thousand, four hundred and fifty-nine (211,459) rounds of ammunition, while preventing oil theft valued at over fifty-seven billion naira.
These achievements by the Armed Forces of Nigeria cover five key regions including the North East, North West, North Central, South-South, and South East.
While highlighting the strides of the Nigeria Police Force in maintaining public safety between January and December, he said the Force arrested thirty thousand, three hundred and thirteen (30,313) suspects for crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, and homicide, while rescuing one thousand, five hundred and eighty-one (1,581) kidnapped victims.
“Significant recoveries were made, including one thousand nine hundred and eighty-four (1,984) firearms, one thousand, four hundred and thirty-eight (1,438) stolen vehicles, and twenty-three thousand, two hundred and fifty (23,250) rounds of ammunition. Notable achievements include the rescue of eighty-nine (89) victims from armed bandits in Kaduna State on November 24 and the foiling of a kidnapping in Delta State on November 28, which led to the recovery of multiple firearms. In Kebbi State, thirty-six (36) abducted farmers were freed on December 8 through coordinated efforts with the military and vigilantes.
“The Force also disrupted illegal arms trade, arresting suspects involved in trans-border gun running and recovering both locally and internationally made weapons. In operations with the Nigerian Army, the FCT Police cleared bandit camps in Kaduna and Niger States, while Rivers State Police arrested a notorious cult leader, Gift Okpara, recovering a cache of arms and explosives. These efforts underscore the Force’s resolute pursuit of justice and national security.”
During the question and answer session, it was disclosed that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has ordered a thorough investigation into the reported deaths of two Okuama community leaders, Pa James Oghoroko, and Dennis Okugbaye, while in Army custody.
Oghoroko, the President-General of the Okuama community, and 81-year-old Okugbaye, the community’s Treasurer, reportedly died six days apart in military detention.
The duo alongside four others Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mrs. Mabel Owhemu, and Mr. Dennis Malaka — were arrested during a military operation conducted between August 18 and 20, 2024.
The arrests followed the killing of 17 soldiers on March 14, 2024, during a peace mission aimed at resolving a dispute between Okuama and the neighbouring Okoloba community in Delta State.
The Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, said the CDS directed the 6th Division of the Nigerian Army to investigate the allegations and submit a report by Monday.
“Regarding allegations of deaths in detention over the weekend, headlines surfaced suggesting that individuals detained in connection with the Okuama incident had died.”
