DHQ: Troops Rescue 398 Kidnap Victims, Arrest 31 Terrorists in One Week

DHQ: Troops Rescue 398 Kidnap Victims, Arrest 31 Terrorists in One Week

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed that coordinated military operations across the country have resulted in the rescue of 398 kidnapped victims, the arrest of 31 suspected terrorists and collaborators, and the neutralisation of 10 criminals within the last week. The update was given in Abuja on Tuesday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, who said the Armed Forces recorded significant operational gains across all six geopolitical zones. Onoja explained that troops operating under various missions intensified offensive and intelligence-driven operations in the North-West, North-East, North-Central, South-East, and Niger Delta, targeting criminal networks and disrupting their supply chains, with the military continuing to urge members of the public to provide credible and timely information to support ongoing security efforts.

In the North-East, troops of Operation Hadin Kai intensified operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters through raids, patrols and clearance operations across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, with a major breakthrough occurring when military operations in the Mandara Mountains led to the rescue of hundreds of civilians abducted by terrorists. According to Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, Theatre Commander of the Northeast Joint Task Force Operation Hadin Kai, the rescue followed a coordinated special operation conducted on June 6 across multiple fronts around the Mandara Mountains, with Special Operations Forces initially carrying out preliminary missions that created confusion within terrorist camps, paving the way for ground troops of the 26 Task Force Brigade to extract the captives successfully. Major General Michael Onoja stated, “This daring manoeuvre 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.” Tragically, two infants died due to the harsh terrain during the evacuation, but the surviving 358 victims were evacuated to the hospital, treated, provided with food and water, and later handed over to the relevant authorities for reunification with their families. The military also confirmed the arrest of informants and logistics suppliers linked to insurgent groups, alongside the recovery of communication gadgets, cash, and other materials used to support terrorist activities, while additional tactical victories in the North-East included the surrender of a 20-year-old terrorist, Fannami Ali, in Monguno town, and the arrest of suspected informants in Yobe and Adamawa states. Troops also foiled an attack in Mallam Fatori, forcing the adversaries to flee and leaving behind an AK-47 rifle bearing Arabic inscriptions, further demonstrating the effectiveness of ongoing military operations in the region.

READ ALSO:

• Rapper Mystikal Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison After Pleading Guilty to Rape Charge
• Floyd Mayweather Faces Felony Charges Over Alleged $200,000 Watch Theft
• Mbappé Scores Brace as France Beat Senegal 3–1 in World Cup Opener

In the North-West, troops of Operation Fansan Yamna recorded decisive gains against terrorists and criminal elements in Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara States, with one of the most significant operations occurring on 5 June 2026 at a snap checkpoint en route from Gusau to Shinkafi Local Government Area 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, with the suspect, Mallam Mustapha Abubakar, arrested with the items and 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, with the suspect identified as 42 years old and allegedly involved in the illegal transportation of arms and ammunition to terrorist groups operating within the region. Troops also neutralised terrorists during separate operations in Birnin Magaji and Maru Local Government Areas of Zamfara State, recovering motorcycles, communication gadgets, uniforms and other logistics items, while in Tudun Wada village, eight suspected terrorists were arrested, and seven motorcycles were recovered along with 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. The DHQ also recently launched “Operation Clean Sweep III” in Katsina State following the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, who was abducted by suspected terrorists alongside his wife, with the operation targeting terrorists operating in Matazu Local Government Area and surrounding communities.

In the North-Central region, troops conducted intelligence-based operations across Niger, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, and Taraba states, leading to the rescue of kidnapped travellers and the arrest of suspected kidnappers and informants, with firearms, ammunition, mobile phones, and other incriminating items also recovered during the operations. Troops of Operation Savannah Shield arrested a high-value terrorist informant at Kara Market, Wawa, who had been on the watch list, with investigation of a recovered mobile phone revealing a photograph of a beheaded individual dated 2 May 2026, indicating possible links to terrorist networks. Operation Enduring Peace troops rescued six passengers along the Hawan Kibo – Rafin Sayin road in Riyom LGA of Plateau State after responding to reports of kidnappers blocking the road, while troops also arrested a suspected kidnappers’ informant at Mungi village in Mangu LGA and recovered a concealed pistol from his residential compound. In Kogi State, troops rescued two kidnap victims, including a bar manager and a sales girl abducted on 6 June 2026 at Ikoyi in Ijumu LGA, and reunited them with their families, while security forces also disrupted kidnapping networks in the state, preventing the movement of victims across criminal routes.

In the South-East, troops of Operation Udoka conducted joint operations targeting suspected IPOB/ESN hideouts, with one of the most significant operations occurring on 9 June 2026 when troops in conjunction with Department of State Services (DSS) operatives arrested six suspected IPOB/ESN members at Nenwe community in Aninri LGA of Enugu State. A follow-up operation to a suspected arms hideout disguised as a piggery led to the recovery of one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), one RPG-7 tube, three AK-47 rifles, two hand grenades, a tear gas gun, 2 tear gas cartridges, six AK-47 magazines, and 748 rounds of assorted ammunition, representing a significant blow to the operational capacity of the proscribed group. On 10 June 2026, at a suspected IPOB/ESN safe house at Agbani in Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State, troops recovered eight AK-47 rifles, 12 AK-47 magazines, a tear gas gun, 323 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and 10 pairs of IPOB uniforms, with all suspects and recovered items handed over to DSS Enugu State Command for further action.

In the Niger Delta, troops of Operation Delta Safe intensified anti-oil theft operations, dismantling illegal refining sites in Rivers and Delta states and recovering stolen petroleum products, with one notable operation occurring on 7 June 2026 along Road Eket–Etinan in Eket LGA of Akwa Ibom State. Troops recovered approximately 1,200 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) valued at approximately ₦2,256,000, with the suspects fleeing into the bush while their vehicle and product were appropriately handled. In Edo State, troops arrested five suspected kidnappers who confessed to involvement in kidnapping activities over the past two years, while in Delta State, troops discovered a trampoline tank containing approximately 4,000 litres of stolen crude oil, along with other illegal refining infrastructure, all of which were appropriately handled. Major General Onoja said the successes reflect the military’s sustained pressure on criminal elements and the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations across the country, reaffirming the Armed Forces’ commitment to restoring peace and ensuring the safety of lives and property nationwide.

DHQ: Troops Rescue 398 Kidnap Victims, Arrest 31 Terrorists in One Week