By Victor Akaa
The Defence Headquarters Thursday said troops of Operation WHIRL PUNCH (OPWP) raided a suspected criminal hideout in the uncompleted facility located in Abuja Municipal Council, Abuja and arrested the criminal elements.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, (DDMO) Major General Edward Buba disclosed this during a routine media briefing on the achievement recorded by the military operations with other security agencies across the country in the past week.
He noted that troops of OPWP on 18 October 2023, following a tip-off, raided a suspected criminal’s hideout in AMAC of FCT, Abuja and arrested 34 suspects, while destroying their makeshift accommodation.
Briefing newsmen further, the Director said within the week, troops operations resulted in the killing of 73 terrorists, 182 were arrested while about 14 perpetrators of oil theft were arrested and 68 kidnapped hostages were rescued across all theatres of operations
Speaking specifically in different theatres of operations, General Buba explained that in the North East, troops of Operation HADIN KAI overall neutralized 39 terrorists, arrested 22 and rescued 18 kidnapped hostages.
Troops also recovered arms and ammunition during its operations in the North East including 35 AK47 rifles, one GPMG, 3 PKT guns, 3 locally fabricated rifles, one hand grenade, one AK47 rifle wooden butt, 12 magazines, 349 rounds of 7.62mm special, 187 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 141 rounds of 7.62mm NATO on metal link, 7 motorcycles, 7 mobile phone, 4 bicycles and the sum of N3,264,800.00 only among others.
He said, that in the North Central, troops of Operation SAVE HAVEN overall recovered 6 AK47 rifles loaded with 14 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 3 fabricated rifles, 18 rounds of 7.62mm special and 43 rounds of 7.62mm NATO amongst others.
Troops also neutralized 2 terrorists and arrested 99, while rescuing 15 kidnapped hostages.
Troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE operating in the North Central Area of Responsibility neutralized 10 terrorists, arrested 10 and rescued 7 kidnapped hostages within the period.
According to him, troops of Operation DELTA SAFE in the South-South zone, destroyed 8 dugout pits, 16 boats, 29 storage tanks, 37 cooking ovens, 26 illegal refining sites, one pumping machine, and 2 outboard engines. Troops recovered 962,500 litres of stolen crude oil, 23,045 litres of illegally refined AGO, 38,100 litres of DPK and 4,500 litres of PMS.
“Troops also neutralized one criminal, apprehended 14 suspected oil thefts and recovered one locally made double barrel, one barrel pistol loaded with cartridges, one locally made pistol, 5 rounds of 9mm ammo, 3 live cartridges and 2 mobile amongst others” he stated.
He added that troops during the operations in the South-South zone also denied oil thieves the estimated sum of One billion, two Hundred and Twelve Million Forty-Six Thousand One Hundred and Forty Naira (N1, 212,046,140.00) only.
Overall within the past week, troops recovered 119 assorted weapons and 1,537 assorted ammunition.
“The breakdown is as follows: one GPMG, 3 PKT guns, 39 AK47 rifles, 5 locally fabricated rifles, one locally made double barrel gun, one barrel pistol, 4 locally made pistols, 5 RPG bombs, 5 PU,p action gus, one short gun, one hand grenade, 2 Dane guns, one AK47 rifle loaded with 14 rounds of 7.62mm special, one locally made pistol loaded with live cartridges.
“Others are 586 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, a bag containing 287 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 389 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 141 rounds of 7.62mm special (belted) ammo, 12 rounds of 9mm ammo, 113 rounds of live cartridges, 25 empty magazines, 13 vehicles, 3 motorcycles, 10 mobile phones, 2 HH radio, one boating radio and the sum of N3,308,700.00 amongst other items,” he explained.