Troops of the Nigerian Army have eliminated 86 terrorists in various theaters of operation across the country between January 3 and 9, Major General Edward Buba, director of defense media operations, announced.
"Our operations resulted in 86 neutralized terrorists with 101 of them arrested. Troops also arrested 30 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 21 kidnapped hostages," he said.
The major general added that troops recovered 411 assorted weapons and discovered and destroyed 37 dugout pits, 65 boats, 71 storage tanks and 14 vehicles.
Headquarters emphasized that the goal of military operations remains to find and neutralize insurgents in their enclaves.
"The aim of our ongoing operations remains unchanged and clear even in the new year 2024. We aim to find and destroy the terrorist wherever they may be hiding to ensure their enduring defeat," Buba noted. "This would deny the terrorist the ability to terrorize or hurt citizens across the country."
The headquarters clarified that over the past week, troops have focused on airstrikes against terrorist enclaves and also used significant superior force in areas where terrorists have been hiding.
Last week, suspected insurgents in Nigeria reportedly killed 14 people in an attack that began at a nightclub and spread to nearby neighborhoods in northeastern Yobe state.
The Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram has been known for kidnapping and killing people since 2002. In March 2015, Boko Haram swore allegiance to the terrorist group Daesh* and changed its name to the Islamic State West Africa Province. Boko Haram and ISWAP are now two separate groups.
* Terrorist organizations banned in Russia and many other states.