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Abuja, FCT – By Prime Brief Media

The Defence Headquarters on Thursday said troops recorded major successes in ongoing operations across the country in April 2026, killing 216 terrorists and arresting 284 suspects, including key ring leaders. No fewer than 188 kidnapped victims were also rescued.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja on the military's monthly operational activities. He said troops also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition during the period, while dismantling several terrorist camps and criminal hideouts.

"During this period, the Armed Forces neutralised over 200 terrorists in multiple engagements, rescued 188 abducted civilians, including women, children, the elderly, farmers, and worshippers, and restored them to their families. Troops also stormed and destroyed terrorist camps, IED-laden hideouts, and illegal arms production facilities, while arresting 284 key ring leaders, logisticians, and collaborators," Onoja said.

Providing a breakdown, Onoja stated that in the North-East, troops killed 136 terrorists, arrested 144 suspects, rescued 18 victims, and recorded the surrender of nine insurgents. In the North-West, troops neutralised 24 terrorists, arrested 32 suspects, rescued 70 victims, and recorded the surrender of one terrorist. In the North-Central, troops under Operation Savannah Shield killed 21 terrorists, arrested 17 suspects, and rescued 10 kidnap victims. In the South-South, troops of Operation Delta Safe arrested 17 suspects, dismantled two illegal refining sites, and recovered 101,443 litres of petroleum products. In the South-East, troops under Operation Udo Ka killed three terrorists, arrested 16 suspects, and rescued two kidnap victims.

Onoja emphasised that the outcomes went beyond statistics, noting that "behind every rescued victim is a family made whole, and behind every destroyed enclave is a community reclaimed." He added that the military remained committed to accountability, stressing that all operations were conducted in line with the rules of engagement, the laws of armed conflict, and international humanitarian law.

Prime Brief Media will continue to track security and rescue efforts across the state as this story develops.

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