THE Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said troops killed 552 terrorists and criminals, arrested 1,333 others and rescued 1,736 kidnapped civilians across all the theatres in September and the third quarter of 2026.
The military also recorded the surrender of 333 insurgents, recovered 244 arms and 8,160 rounds of ammunition, destroyed 104 illegal refining sites and recovered 1,610,402 litres of stolen petroleum products during operations conducted across the country in the quarter.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed the figures on Wednesday at the Defence Headquarters Combined Monthly/Third Quarter Media Briefing on ongoing military operations across the various theatres.
Onoja said the figures represented the cumulative operational outcomes of sustained kinetic and non-kinetic operations conducted by the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) between July and September 2026 against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, oil theft, organised criminality and secessionist activities.
He said the operations had significantly disrupted terrorist and criminal networks, rescued abducted citizens, degraded arms and logistics channels and denied economic saboteurs access to the nation’s petroleum resources.
“During the period under review, the AFN neutralised 552 terrorists and criminals; arrested 1,333 terrorists/criminals; rescued 1,736 kidnapped civilians; 333 insurgents surrendered; recovered 244 arms and 8,160 rounds of ammunition; dismantled 104 illegal refining sites; and recovered 1,610,402 litres of stolen petroleum products,” Onoja said.
According to him, the operational record reflected the sustained tempo and inter-Service coordination of troops across the country, with operations conducted in the North-East, North-West, North-Central, South-South and South-East theatres.
Onoja said the AFN’s operations during the quarter were focused not only on neutralising terrorists and criminal elements but also on rescuing civilians, disrupting logistics networks, recovering weapons and protecting critical national infrastructure.
In the North-East, he said troops of Operation HADIN KAI sustained counter-terrorism operations across Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, targeting terrorist formations, logistics networks and freedom of movement.
He said troops recorded several successful engagements during September, including the interception and rescue of 44 terrorist family members comprising 13 women and 31 children at Konduga in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
Onoja said the individuals had fled terrorist enclaves amid clashes between rival factions.
He also disclosed that the theatre recorded a sustained wave of surrenders, with insurgents and their families abandoning terrorist enclaves and surrendering to troops at various locations.
According to him, the surrendering persons consistently cited harsh living conditions, hunger and lack of basic provisions within terrorist enclaves in the Mandara Mountains and Lake Chad region.
Onoja said some of the insurgents surrendered with weapons, including AK-47 rifles, a hand grenade and an improvised explosive device, further weakening the operational capacity of the terrorist groups.
In the North-West, the Director said Operation FANSAN YAMMA troops, supported by the Air Component, sustained large-scale offensive operations against terrorists, bandits and kidnappers across Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states.
He said troops targeted terrorist kingpins, hideouts and logistics networks, while also conducting rescue operations against kidnapping syndicates.
Onoja said one of the major successes recorded in the theatre was an air operation on September 17, which disrupted terrorists transporting a large number of kidnapped victims in the Bazama area of Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
He said the operation enabled more than 60 kidnapped civilians to escape from their captors.
The Director said troops also recovered rifles, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, a machine gun and ammunition during clearance operations against terrorist formations.
In the North-Central, Onoja said troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Operation ENDURING PEACE and Operation WHIRL STROKE sustained offensive and rescue operations across several states.
He said troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD rescued 22 kidnap victims during an attack on terrorists at Muchiya village in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
According to him, troops also conducted multiple IED clearance operations in Niger and Kwara states, safely defusing 12 devices and reopening affected routes for vehicular movement.
Onoja said Operation ENDURING PEACE troops rescued kidnapped civilians and conducted raids on suspected criminal hideouts across Bauchi, Kaduna and Plateau states, while Operation WHIRL STROKE troops operating in Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa and Taraba states disrupted kidnapping and arms-trafficking networks.
He said troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE also rescued 18 passengers abducted from a bus at Andaha Community along the Jos-Akwanga Road in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
In the South-South, Onoja said Operation DELTA SAFE troops intensified operations against oil theft, illegal refining, kidnapping and organised criminality across Bayelsa, Edo and Rivers states.
He said the operations resulted in the destruction of illegal refining sites and the recovery of large quantities of stolen crude oil and refined petroleum products.
Onoja said troops discovered approximately 87,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil at illegal refining sites around Aworkiri on September 8, while approximately 182,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil were uncovered at Bethel Creek in Rivers State on September 22.
He said the Nigerian Navy, under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, also discovered and deactivated two illegal refining sites at Ogbogolo Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The operation, he said, led to the recovery of approximately 33,800 litres of petroleum products comprising 28,520 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil and 5,280 litres of stolen crude oil.
“During the period under review, the AFN demonstrated sustained capacity in confronting the full spectrum of security challenges facing the nation, from terrorism and banditry in the northern theatres to kidnapping, oil theft and secessionist agitation in the southern theatres,” Onoja said.
He said the scale of operations during the third quarter had degraded the operational capacity of terrorist and criminal groups while improving security around communities, roads and critical national infrastructure.
In the South-East, Onoja said troops of Operation UDO KA sustained operations against secessionist elements and criminal networks across Anambra, Enugu and Imo states.
He said troops neutralised criminals, arrested suspects, rescued kidnapped victims and dismantled an illegal bunkering site in Imo State.
Onoja said troops also arrested a suspected secessionist IED fabrication expert along the Umulolo Junction-Linka-Ihube axis near Okigwe.
He said another operation at Obibi Forest in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State resulted in the recovery of a General Purpose Machine Gun, a rifle, ammunition and a motorcycle abandoned by fleeing suspected secessionist elements.
The troops, he added, also rescued a female victim who had allegedly been held for about two months after being abducted from her hairdressing salon.
Beyond the kinetic operations, Onoja said the AFN also sustained civil-military cooperation initiatives aimed at strengthening relations with host communities and addressing socio-economic conditions that could undermine national security.
He said the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association graduated beneficiaries of its skills acquisition programme in Enugu, while school bags and books were distributed to pupils and students of military schools in the state.
He added that troops in Yobe State conducted an anti-drug awareness campaign for more than 300 students as part of efforts to prevent youths from becoming vulnerable to criminal and terrorist networks.
Onoja said the AFN also recorded 367 attacks across the various theatres during the period under review, but troops responded through coordinated engagements, superior firepower, tactical manoeuvres and other operational measures.
He said the attacks comprised 33 recorded in Operation HADIN KAI, 115 in Operation FANSAN YAMMA, 13 in Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, 147 in Operation ENDURING PEACE, 55 in Operation WHIRL STROKE and four in Operation UDO KA, while Operation DELTA SAFE recorded no attacks.
“Troops responded decisively to these incidents, swiftly engaging the assailants with superior firepower and tactical manoeuvre, and successfully countering the attacks,” he said.
According to Onoja, the operations resulted in the disruption of terrorist and kidnapping activities, rescue of abducted civilians, protection of communities and key supply routes, clearance of IEDs, dismantling of suspected terrorist camps and recovery of arms and ammunition.
He said the outcomes had enhanced freedom of movement, strengthened confidence among residents and commuters and helped protect critical national infrastructure.
The Director said the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, GCOR, AFM, commended the professionalism, dedication and sacrifice of troops across all theatres for the achievements recorded during the quarter.
Onoja said the CDS also extended condolences to personnel, civilians and families who suffered injuries, losses or hardship during the period.
“The CDS equally commends the sustained collaboration between the AFN and other security agencies including local security groups, noting that their combined efforts continue to strengthen the nation’s collective security architecture,” Onoja said.
He said Oluyede also commended Zinox Group for partnering with the AFN to establish an online discount store scheme for serving and retired members of the Armed Forces and their families.
According to Onoja, the CDS described the initiative as part of the growing role of responsible corporate organisations in supporting national defence and improving the welfare of military personnel.
“The AFN appreciates the generosity of Mr Leo Stan Ekeh and encourages other well-meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations to emulate this gesture in support of the Armed Forces,” Onoja quoted the CDS as saying.
The CDS also commended the media for its continued professionalism and balanced coverage of military operations, while urging Nigerians, traditional rulers and community leaders to sustain their support for troops by providing timely and credible information.
Onoja said members of the public could provide such information to the nearest military formation or through the toll-free line 193, assuring that information received would be treated with utmost confidentiality.
He urged citizens to uphold the principle of “See Something, Say Something,” stressing that national security remained a shared civic responsibility.
Onoja concluded by reaffirming the AFN’s determination to sustain operations against terrorist and criminal elements while protecting the lives and property of Nigerians and safeguarding the country’s territorial integrity.
He also conveyed the Armed Forces’ goodwill to Nigerians ahead of the country’s 66th Independence anniversary.
