By Emmanuel Nduka
The Nigerian military says it has intensified its offensive against terrorists and other criminal elements across the country, with troops neutralizing 555 terrorists and arresting 1,209 others between June and August 2026.
Of the 555 terrorists neutralized during the three-month period, 324 were killed in military operations conducted in August alone, according to the Director of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Major General Michael Onoja.
Onoja disclosed this on Monday evening in Abuja while briefing journalists on the activities and operational achievements of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) across the country.
He said the 1,209 arrests recorded between June and August included 373 suspects apprehended in August, as troops sustained coordinated operations across the various geopolitical zones.
According to him, the operations combined land, air and maritime capabilities and were designed to degrade the operational capacity of terrorist and criminal groups, disrupt their logistics networks and deny them freedom of movement.
“During the month of August, the Armed Forces sustained a robust operational tempo across the various geopolitical zones. This was characterized by coordinated land, air, and maritime operations focused on degrading terrorists’ and criminal groups’ capabilities,” Onoja said.
He added that the operations also focused on rescuing abducted citizens, disrupting arms trafficking and logistics chains, countering secessionist and other armed criminal elements, as well as protecting critical national assets.
“Troops recorded notable successes across all geopolitical zones, while the Air Component maintained consistent combat support and reconnaissance to ground formations,” he said.
Beyond the neutralization and arrest of suspected terrorists and criminals, Onoja said the period also witnessed the surrender of terrorist fighters and their family members, the arrest of key collaborators and logistics facilitators, and the recovery of weapons and ammunition.
He said troops also intensified efforts against economic crimes linked to the illicit oil trade, disrupting illegal refining operations and crude-oil theft infrastructure, while strengthening collaboration with other security agencies and local security groups.
“These outcomes reflect the AFN’s resolve to deny all terrorist and criminal elements freedom of action, protect communities and critical infrastructure, and consolidate conditions to ensure peace and stability across the country,” he said.
1.25 Million Litres Of Petroleum Products Recovered In Niger Delta
The military also recorded significant gains in its operations against oil theft and illegal petroleum activities during the period under review.
Onoja disclosed that troops recovered 686,800 litres of petroleum products in August alone, bringing the total quantity recovered during the three-month period to approximately 1.25 million litres.
The development, according to the Defence spokesperson, forms part of the military’s broader effort to disrupt the financial and logistical networks sustaining criminal activities while protecting critical national infrastructure.
