By SUMAILA OGBAJE

The Defence Headquarters said that the military had eliminated a total of 8,034 terrorists, apprehended 11,623 suspects and rescued 6,376 kidnapped hostages from January to December.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this known while briefing newsmen on the operations of the military on Thursday in Abuja.

Buba said the troops had, since the beginning of the year, been confronted by different threats in five active theatres of operations across the country.

He said that the troops adopted a high level of alert and an increased state of readiness to protect the country from further terrorist aggression and insecurity.

He said the troops also recovered 8,216 weapons, 211,459 ammunition and denied the oil thieves an estimated sum of over N57 billion in the last 11 months.

?The breakdown of the recoveries includes 4,053 AK47 rifles, 1,123 locally fabricated guns, 731 Dane guns and 240 pump action guns.

?Others are 120,247 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 41,515 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 5,373 cartridges, 1,940 assorted arms and 25,664 assorted ammunitions.

?Additionally, the troops recovered 53.1 million litres of stolen crude oil, 9.1 million litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 90,595 litres of DPK and 156,095 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) aside other items,? the director said.

In the North East, Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai, neutralised 2,918 terrorists, apprehended 2,285 suspects and rescued 1,496 hostages within the period under review.

He added that 15,950 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists? combatants and their families surrendered during the period.

?In the North Central, the troops of Operation Safe Haven, neutralised 411 violent extremists, arrested 1,859 and rescued 927 kidnap hostages as well as arms and ammunition.

?Under Operation Whirl Stroke, the troops neutralised 583 terrorists, arrested 916 suspects and rescued 649 kidnapped hostages and recovered a cache of arms.

?In the North West, the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji neutralised 2,646 terrorists, arrested 1,654 suspects and rescued 2,339 kidnap hostages.

?Under Operation Whirl Punch, they neutralised 732 terrorists, apprehended 1,842 suspects and rescued 569 kidnap hostages,? Buba said.

He added that in the South East, the troops of Operation UDO KA neutralised 666 terrorists, arrested 893 suspects and rescued 323 kidnap hostages during the period. (NAN)

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