By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Defence Headquarters on Friday said ongoing military cooperation with the United States of America is adding significant value to Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and other security threats.
Briefing defence correspondents in Abuja, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said the partnership was already strengthening operational capacity, noting that tangible results from US assistance would soon become evident on the battlefield.
According to him, terrorists troubling the country would “soon get tired and be smoked out of their hiding places” as the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) sustains coordinated and intelligence-driven operations nationwide.
He disclosed that the AFN recorded major operational gains in February 2026, neutralising scores of terrorists, rescuing hundreds of kidnapped victims and dismantling criminal networks undermining national security through aggressive land, air and maritime missions.
In the North-East, troops of Operation HADIN KAI intensified offensives against Boko Haram and ISWAP, neutralising scores of insurgents, arresting 85 suspects, facilitating the surrender of 46 fighters and their families, and rescuing 104 kidnapped victims. A major engagement in Kukawa LGA of Borno State saw troops repel a terrorist assault involving gun trucks and drones, while coordinated strikes destroyed camps in parts of Borno and Yobe states.
In the North-West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA rescued 251 hostages and arrested 36 suspects across Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states, including 21 abducted victims freed in Musawa LGA of Katsina State.
Operations in the North-Central under Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD and Operation WHIRL STROKE led to the neutralisation and arrest of terrorists, rescue of hostages and recovery of arms, including the arrest of a key suspect in Taraba State with weapons and cash.
In Plateau State, troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE arrested 29 suspects and rescued 22 hostages, while swiftly intervening to quell farmer-herder clashes in Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Bassa LGAs.
In the South-South, Operation DELTA SAFE intensified its anti-oil theft campaign, arresting 59 suspects, dismantling 32 illegal refining sites and recovering over 144,000 litres of stolen crude oil and 31,601 litres of AGO.
Meanwhile, in the South-East, Operation UDO KA sustained offensives against the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, arresting 54 suspects and disrupting criminal logistics hubs.
The Defence Headquarters reaffirmed that all operations were conducted in line with established rules of engagement and international humanitarian standards, while urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue supporting security agencies with credible intelligence.
