The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has disclosed that Nigerian troops rescued 318 kidnapped victims and arrested 74 suspects across the country in November, as part of sustained military operations against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and crude-oil theft.
According to DHQ, the arrested suspects include terrorists, kidnappers, oil thieves and criminal collaborators operating in different theatres of operation nationwide. The military said the arrests and rescues were achieved through coordinated land, air and intelligence-driven operations carried out by troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
In the North-East, troops operating under Operation Hadin Kai intensified offensives against Boko Haram and ISWAP elements, leading to the arrest of suspects, destruction of terrorist enclaves and the rescue of abducted civilians. Distressed by sustained military pressure, 69 terrorists and their family members reportedly surrendered to troops during the period under review.
In the North-West and North-Central, troops engaged bandit and kidnapping networks, disrupting their hideouts and freeing victims abducted along highways and rural communities. Similar operations were conducted in the South-East and South-South, targeting criminal gangs and oil-theft syndicates.
The DHQ further revealed that in the fight against economic sabotage, troops deactivated 16 illegal crude-oil refining sites in oil-producing areas. The operations led to the recovery of 201,700 litres of stolen crude oil and 88,177 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (diesel). The military estimated that the actions prevented oil theft valued at about ₦217.6 million.
Military authorities said arms, ammunition, logistics supplies and other incriminating items were also recovered during the operations, though details of these were not fully disclosed.
The DHQ commended officers and soldiers for their “professionalism, courage and resilience” and urged them to sustain the pressure on criminal elements. It also appealed to Nigerians to continue providing timely and credible intelligence, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to ending insecurity.
The military reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives, restoring public confidence, and dismantling criminal and terrorist networks across the country, assuring citizens that operations would be intensified in the coming months.