The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) said its troops neutralised 129 terrorists and other criminal elements, arrested 486 suspects and rescued 542 kidnapped civilians during nationwide military operations conducted in June 2026.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Michael Onoja, disclosed this on Wednesday during the Defence Headquarters monthly and second quarter operational briefing in Abuja.
He said the successes were recorded through coordinated land, air and intelligence-led operations across the country’s operational theatres, targeting Boko Haram, ISWAP, bandits, kidnappers, oil thieves, arms traffickers and the proscribed IPOB/ESN.
According to him, troops also recovered 130 firearms, 5,538 rounds of ammunition, dismantled seven illegal refining sites and recovered more than 308,515 litres of stolen petroleum products during the month.
In the North-East, troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised 76 terrorists, arrested 97 suspects and rescued 465 kidnapped victims. A major breakthrough came on June 6 when troops rescued 360 civilians, mostly women and children, from terrorist captivity during a coordinated operation in the Mandara Mountains of Gwoza.
The military also said troops foiled several terrorist attacks in Borno and Adamawa states, arrested collaborators and rescued abducted schoolchildren following a pursuit operation in Askira Uba Local Government Area.
In the North-West, Operation Fansan Yamma neutralised 33 terrorists, arrested 165 suspects and rescued 51 kidnapped victims across Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Troops also intercepted large consignments of ammunition, arrested arms traffickers and disrupted terrorist logistics networks.
Operations in the North-Central under Operations Savannah Shield, Enduring Peace and Whirl Stroke resulted in dozens of arrests, the rescue of kidnapped victims and the interception of arms, explosives and ammunition. Security forces also arrested several suspected terrorist informants and collaborators during intelligence-led operations.
In the South-South, Operation Delta Safe arrested 53 suspects, neutralised six criminals and dismantled seven illegal refining sites. Troops recovered more than 308,000 litres of stolen crude oil and refined petroleum products while disrupting illegal bunkering activities across the Niger Delta.
Similarly, Operation Udo Ka in the South-East neutralised six criminal elements and arrested 39 suspected members and collaborators of the proscribed IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). Troops recovered several assault rifles, explosives, ammunition and other military-grade equipment during raids on suspected hideouts.
The Nigerian Air Force also conducted precision air strikes in Kaduna and Niger states, destroying terrorist hideouts and neutralising several armed fighters while providing aerial surveillance for critical infrastructure, including the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor.
Providing a second quarter operational summary, the Defence Headquarters said the AFN neutralised 662 terrorists and criminals, arrested 1,084 suspects, rescued 951 kidnapped civilians and secured the surrender of 39 insurgents and their family members between April and June 2026.
The military added that troops recovered 328 weapons, 12,590 rounds of ammunition, dismantled 12 illegal refining sites and recovered more than 464,268 litres of stolen petroleum products during the quarter.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Olatunbosun Oluyede, commended troops for their professionalism and gallantry, while appreciating civilians, local vigilante groups and other security agencies for their continued support.
He urged Nigerians to continue providing timely intelligence to security agencies, stressing that national security remains a collective responsibility.
