…Rescue 206 hostages
From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Defence Media Operations (DMO) said soldiers engaged in the counter-insurgency war and other security operations across the country killed 253 terrorists and arrested 172 others within the last one week.
The soldiers also arrested 15 suspected oil thieves and rescued 206 kidnapped hostages. The Director of DMO, Major-General Edward Buba, in a statement, said: “During the week under review, troops neutralised 253 and arrested 172 persons. Troops also arrested 15 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 206 kidnapped hostages. In the South South, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of N1,073,829,500.
“Furthermore, troops recovered 251 assorted weapons and 4,113 assorted ammunition. The breakdown is as follows: one GPMG, 118 AK47 rifles, 54 locally fabricated gun, 47 dane guns, six pump action guns, two locally fabricated pump action guns, five double barrel guns, four single barrel guns, four locally fabricated pistol, four IED, 60mm mortar tube, two AK butts, MRAP and one bandolier.
“Others are: 2,047 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 942 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 98 rounds of 9mm ammo, 342 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 334 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm, 252 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm, 110 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ball, 299 live cartridges, 32 magazines, two baofeng radios, two KYD radios, eight vehicles, 41 motorcycles, 27 bicycles, 41 mobile phones and the sum of N74,702,320.00 only amongst other items.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 22 dugout pits, 37 boats, 70 drums, four receiver, four reservoirs and 29 storage tanks. Other items recovered include 215 cooking ovens, 13 vehicles, four wheelbarrows, one tricycle, one motorcycle, five mobile phones, one speedboat, two KYD radios, two outboard engines and 75 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 1,047,050 litres of stolen crude oil and 205,550 litres of illegally refined AGO.”