Military intensifies offensive against terrorists, eliminates militant leaders — Lagbaja

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, has revealed that Nigerian troops have significantly intensified their efforts in combating terrorism, successfully eliminating several high-profile terrorist leaders and commanders.

According to Lagbaja, these operations have disrupted terrorist activities and brought relief to affected communities.

In addition to targeting key figures, the armed forces have carried out operations across various regions, leading to the arrest of numerous terrorists, the recovery of weapons and ammunition, and the destruction of terrorist hideouts.

Lagbaja disclosed this in The Explainer, a weekly publication of the National Orientation Agency, as reported by PUNCH Online on Monday.

He noted that the military has adapted its strategies to address emerging challenges, including using flooding to its advantage in the Lake Chad region and prioritising the elimination of terrorist leaders.

Nigerian troops, in collaboration with the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) deployed for counter-terrorism operations in the Lake Chad region, have executed several successful operations in recent times. For instance, in August, the MNJTF intercepted two Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorist logistics supply syndicates and wiped out 1,166 terrorists from numerous hideouts following coordinated military actions.

The Chief Military Information Officer at MNJTF headquarters in N’Djamena, Chad, Lt Col Olaniyi Osoba, revealed that the syndicates specialised in supplying illicit drugs and materials for sewing uniforms and flags for the terrorist groups. Similarly, the Defence Headquarters reported that 1,096 other terrorists were arrested in August, with over 7,283 surrendering to the military.

In recent months, the military’s operations have been remarkable, eliminating key terrorist figures in the North-East and North-West regions.

In his August 2024 briefing, Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, listed several prominent terrorist commanders who had been neutralised, including Munir Arika, Sani Dilla (aka Dan Hausawan Jibilarram), Ameer Modu, and others.

One significant operation that delivered a blow to bandits and brought relief to terrorised citizens in the North-West was the killing of notorious terrorist leader Halilu Sububu by special forces in Zamfara State. Sububu, who terrorised communities in Sokoto, Niger, and Kaduna States, met his end in a military ambush near Mayanchi on 12 September 2024.

According to Group Captain Kabiru Ali, Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information for the Nigerian Air Force, Sububu, along with 38 others, was killed in an operation that ended his reign of terror.

NAF Special Forces, working alongside ground troops, recovered a large cache of weapons, including rocket-propelled grenade tubes, machine guns, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

In the South-South, Major General Buba reported that troops of the Joint Task Force, South-South Operation Delta Safe, recovered petroleum products valued at over ₦5 billion from crude oil thieves.

Additionally, they uncovered and dismantled 339 illegal refining sites within the Niger Delta region.

A rare development in military operations saw the armed forces exploiting the recent flooding in the Lake Chad region to their advantage. Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, Director of Public Relations and Information for NAF, explained that terrorists were forced to migrate to higher ground, exposing them to successful air interdiction missions that led to the destruction of their hideouts.

As the morale of terrorists in the North-East continues to decline, with many surrendering en masse, the Defence Headquarters is confident that this success will soon be replicated across the entire country. However, Buba urged citizens to cooperate with security agencies, emphasising that community support is crucial to winning the war on terrorism.