By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) have recorded significant operational gains across all theatres of operation in May 2026, following sustained nationwide offensives that led to the neutralisation of terrorists and armed criminals, the rescue of abducted civilians, and the disruption of illegal arms, kidnapping, and oil theft networks.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, while briefing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, said the month’s operations reflected the “strategic clarity, resilience, and growing effectiveness” of ongoing military campaigns across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
He explained that troops, operating under various Joint Task Forces, carried out coordinated land, air, and maritime operations aimed at degrading terrorist capabilities and restoring security in affected communities nationwide.
In the North East, under Operation Hadin Kai, troops sustained aggressive pressure on Boko Haram and ISWAP remnants, recording major battlefield successes, including the neutralisation of insurgents, arrests of suspects, and the rescue of abducted civilians across Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, and Taraba States.
Defence authorities noted that several terrorist logistics networks were dismantled during ambushes and clearance operations, while combined air and ground assaults disrupted planned attacks and forced multiple insurgents to surrender to troops.
In the North West theatre under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, troops conducted sustained offensives across Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, and Sokoto States, where bandit groups were degraded through precision strikes, intelligence-led raids, and close air support operations.
Several kidnapped victims were rescued during the operations, while suspected gunrunners supplying arms to criminal networks were arrested. The military also recovered significant quantities of weapons, ammunition, and motorcycles used in criminal activities.
In the North Central region, operations under SAVANNAH SHIELD, ENDURING PEACE, and WHIRL STROKE recorded notable successes, including the neutralisation of armed criminals, arrest of kidnapping suspects and informants, and the rescue of dozens of civilians across Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa, and the Federal Capital Territory.
A major highlight of the month included the dismantling of an illegal arms manufacturing facility in Plateau State and a large-scale raid in Abuja that led to multiple arrests linked to organised criminal networks operating within and around the capital.
In the South South, Operation DELTA SAFE intensified anti-oil theft operations, destroying illegal refining sites and intercepting thousands of litres of stolen petroleum products across Rivers, Delta, and Edo States, while also dismantling bunkering syndicates operating along the Niger Delta corridor.
In the South East, Operation UDO KA sustained pressure on separatist-linked criminal groups and kidnapping syndicates, leading to arrests, weapon recoveries, and the rescue of abducted civilians across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Imo States, alongside the disruption of illegal mining and logistics support networks.
The Defence Headquarters described the month’s operations as a major step in ongoing counterinsurgency efforts, noting that over 300 terrorists and criminals were neutralised, hundreds arrested, and more than 200 civilians rescued, while reaffirming the Armed Forces’ commitment to sustaining nationwide security operations and urging continued public cooperation.
