Scores of Terrorists Killed, 60 Arrested in Nationwide Military Operations

Nigerian military Troops

Scores of Terrorists Killed, 60 Arrested in Nationwide Military Operations

In a major coordinated offensive against terrorist networks, troops of the Nigerian Army have bombed scores of terrorists, arrested a high-profile operative linked to notorious terrorist leader Dogo Gide, and detained 60 suspected collaborators in separate intelligence-led operations across the country. The operations, recorded between August 12 and 13, 2026, also led to the recovery of weapons, military uniforms, and other items, according to military authorities. The Theatre Command, Joint Task Force North West, Operation Fansan Yamma, launched Operation Clean Sweep IV, a coordinated ground and air offensive aimed at intensifying pressure on terrorists and armed criminal elements across the region. The Media Information Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, said the operation brings coordinated ground and air actions to bear on identified threats across the North Western States, with the objective of degrading terrorist capabilities, disrupting their movements and logistics, and denying them the opportunity to establish footholds within Nigerian communities.

In Kaduna State, troops of 4 Demonstration Battalion arrested a suspected ISWAP operative at Kadage Check Point while he was allegedly conveying seven pairs of sewn foreign camouflage uniforms to a terrorist camp. Preliminary interrogation revealed that the suspect was a close confidant of Dogo Gide and had been supplying logistics to him, indicating the deep-rooted network of support that enables terrorist operations in the region. Troops recovered 23 yards of foreign camouflage material, two mobile phones, three ATM cards, and an identity card from the suspect, providing valuable intelligence for ongoing operations. The arrest of this high-value target is expected to disrupt supply chains to terrorist camps and weaken the operational capabilities of Dogo Gide’s network.

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In Adamawa State, troops of 226 Battalion, supported by hunters, raided a motor park in Gombi following intelligence on suspected terrorist collaborators allegedly disguising themselves as menial workers and hawkers. The operation led to the arrest of 60 suspects, who are currently being held for further investigation. This follows similar operations in the region, including the recent arrest of a 43-year-old suspected collaborator in Mubi South, Adamawa State, demonstrating the military’s sustained efforts to dismantle support networks for terrorist groups. The arrests send a strong message that those who provide support to terrorists, whether through logistics, shelter, or information, will face the full weight of the law.

In Katsina State, troops of Sector 2 conducted a clearance operation on August 12 around suspected terrorist enclaves in Dutsinma Local Government Area. The operation mounted significant pressure on the terrorists, compelling them to abandon their positions and withdraw into surrounding bushes, while clearance operations are ongoing in the general area. In Zamfara State, the Air Component of Operation Fansan Yamma conducted precision strikes on terrorists who had converged on motorcycles in Anka Local Government Area. The strikes reportedly neutralised scores of terrorists and forced survivors to abandon their motorcycles and flee into surrounding bushes, with air assets subsequently locating and engaging the fleeing terrorists. Troops of 1 Brigade also recovered an RPG bomb during a patrol around Tunga-Jambako in Maradun Local Government Area following an earlier terrorist ambush, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by terrorist elements in the region.

In Benue State, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke arrested five suspected terrorists during operations in Chito, Jootar, and Ikyior in Ukum Local Government Area. The troops destroyed the suspected enclaves and recovered two motorcycles and two locally fabricated guns, dealing a significant blow to terrorist operations in the state. The military also intercepted five women and seven children suspected to be family members of terrorists in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State, with the group reportedly escaping from a terrorist enclave in Gazuwa Camp. Similarly, six male children were intercepted at Ajiri after reportedly escaping from Murofari Village following clashes between rival terrorist groups, indicating the internal conflicts and fragmentation within terrorist networks. In a related operation, troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD foiled an advance by terrorists from Zamfara into Niger State, recovering an AK-47 rifle and 398 rounds of ammunition after following credible intelligence on the movement of terrorists riding about 200 motorcycles towards Inana Village in Rijau Local Government Area of Niger.

Danja said a major component of Operation Clean Sweep IV was the effort to contain and dismantle the Lakurawa terrorist network across the theatre. The Lakurawa group has deeper Sahelian roots in the Mali–Niger border region and emerged in northwestern Nigeria between 2016 and 2018 as a community self-defence force before transforming into a violent extremist group that imposes its own interpretation of Islamic law on communities it controls. “The operation is designed to prevent the infiltration and reinforcement of Lakurawa elements into Nigeria while denying the group the opportunity to exploit border areas as corridors for movement, logistics and the establishment of enclaves,” he said. The operation further seeks to block the activities of terrorist elements operating around the River Niger axis and the Kainji Lake National Park, thereby preventing them from using the area as a platform for projecting violence into adjoining communities and other parts of the North West. “The launch of Operation Clean Sweep IV underscores the proactive and sustained posture of Operation Fansan Yamma in confronting evolving terrorist threats across the region. The Theatre remains resolute in protecting civilian communities, securing Nigeria’s territorial integrity and denying terrorist elements the opportunity to regroup, reinforce or establish operational footholds,” Danja said.