The Defence Headquarters says troops on operations across the country have killed 185 terrorists and arrested 212 others in the past week.

It said that troops also arrested 44 oil thieves and rescued 71 kidnapped hostages.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba disclosed this in a statement on Friday, February 2.

He said troops recovered 815,980 litres of stolen crude oil, 163,675 litres of illegally refined diesel, and 1,750 litres of kerosene.

According to the defence spokesperson, roops in the Niger Delta region also discovered and destroyed 12 dugout pits, 61 boats, 56 storage tanks, and 13 vehicles. Other items recovered included 78 cooking ovens, four pump machines, and 51 illegal refining sites.

He said: “Furthermore, troops recovered 224 assorted weapons and 2,337 assorted ammunition, comprising 113 AK47 rifles, one G3 rifle, one PKT gun, 44 locally fabricated guns, 4 pump action guns, two pistols, two locally fabricated pistols, one berretta pistol, 25 Dane guns, one double barrel gun, one single barrel gun, one locally fabricated revolver gun and 7 IEDs primed.

“Others are 1,382 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 387 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 74 rounds of 9mm ammo, 23 K2 rounds ammo, 111 live cartridges, 5,410 empty cases of 7.62mm special, 6 empty cases of cartridges, 2 magazines loaded with 60 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 21 magazines, one pistol magazine, 2 bandoliers, 2 vehicles, 22 motorcycles, 47 mobile phones, 11 HH radios and the sum of N2,369,670. 00 amongst other items.” (The Nation)