… 486 Suspects Arrested, 57 Insurgents Surrender Nationwide
…Military Destroys 18 Illegal Refineries, Recovers 1,870 Weapons
Daud Olatunji
The Defence Headquarters has disclosed that troops deployed across various theatres of operation killed 102 suspected terrorists, bandits, illegal miners and criminal informants in July as part of ongoing military offensives nationwide.
The military also said its operations led to the arrest of 486 suspects, the rescue of 393 kidnapped victims and the surrender of 57 insurgents during the period.
The figures were contained in the Defence Headquarters’ monthly operational infographic released on Thursday, highlighting the outcome of military operations conducted across the country in July.
According to the military, troops also intensified the crackdown on oil theft and economic sabotage, destroying 18 illegal refining sites and other criminal infrastructure, particularly in the Niger Delta.
The operations also resulted in the recovery of over 250,500 litres of illegally refined petroleum products, while 1,870 weapons, ammunition and other military equipment were recovered from terrorists and other criminal groups.
The Defence Headquarters, however, did not provide a state-by-state or regional breakdown of the operations or identify the specific locations where the arrests, killings, rescues and recoveries took place.
Similarly, it did not categorise the 486 arrested suspects beyond describing them as terrorists, criminals, illegal miners and informants.
The military maintained that sustained land and air offensives under various operations across the country were aimed at degrading the operational capabilities of Boko Haram insurgents, ISWAP fighters, armed bandits, kidnappers, oil thieves and other organised criminal networks.
Nigeria has continued to grapple with multiple security threats, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, kidnapping for ransom across several states, separatist violence in parts of the South-East and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.
Although the military has consistently announced successes in its operations, including the killing of suspected terrorists, arrests of criminals and rescue of abducted victims, independent verification of the casualty figures has remained difficult because many of the operations are conducted in remote and inaccessible areas.
A review of the Defence Headquarters’ monthly operational reports showed that the military has sustained its nationwide offensives throughout 2026.
In January, the DHQ reported the arrest of 451 suspects, rescue of 277 kidnapped victims and destruction of 53 illegal refining sites, alongside the recovery of over 282,000 litres of crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products.
In February, the military said 46 insurgents surrendered, 354 suspects were arrested and 409 abducted victims rescued, while more than 175,000 litres of petroleum products were recovered.
Operations intensified in March, with the military reporting the surrender of 197 insurgents, arrest of 1,359 suspected terrorists and other criminals, killing of 103 suspects and rescue of 813 kidnapped victims.
The Defence Headquarters also reported that troops killed 317 suspects, arrested 314 others and rescued 221 hostages in May.
In June, the military announced that 129 suspected terrorists and criminals were killed, 486 suspects arrested and 542 kidnapped victims rescued, while 11 insurgents surrendered. It also reported the recovery of 5,668 weapons, ammunition and supplies, as well as more than 308,000 litres of illegally refined petroleum products.
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