Odita Sunday 
Troops Crush Terrorists, Rescue Abducted Victims, Smash Illegal Arms Factories Nationwide
By Odita Sunday
Troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria have intensified nationwide offensives against terrorists, kidnappers and criminal gangs, recording major successes including the killing of scores of insurgents, rescue of abducted civilians and destruction of illegal arms manufacturing factories.
The Director of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed this on Friday while briefing journalists on military operations conducted between April 30 and May 7, 2026.
Major General Onoja said troops carried out coordinated offensives across the North-East, North-West, North-Central, South-South and South-East under Operations HADIN KAI, FANSAN YAMMA, ENDURING PEACE, WHIRL STROKE and DELTA SAFE.
According to him, one of the fiercest battles occurred in Magumeri, Borno State, where troops of Operation HADIN KAI repelled a coordinated ISWAP attack on a military base.
Major General Onoja said the terrorists attempted to infiltrate the camp under poor visibility but were decisively defeated after intense fighting.
“The terrorists attempted to infiltrate the base under poor visibility but were met with resistance from the troops, who decisively contained and defeated the assault and neutralized scores of the terrorists,” he stated.
The DDMO said troops later recovered PKT anti-aircraft guns, AK-47 rifles and magazines from fleeing terrorists, while blood trails and recovered corpses confirmed heavy terrorist casualties.
Major General Onoja, however, disclosed that two soldiers were killed during the encounter.
In another major breakthrough, the DDMO said troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE uncovered two illegal AK-47 manufacturing factories in Vom, Plateau State.
According to him, five suspects were arrested during the raid while allegedly fabricating weapons.
Recovered items, he said, included nine fabricated AK-47 rifles, skeletal rifles, a locally made pistol, revolver engines and industrial drilling and welding machines.
Major General Onoja also revealed that troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA backed by Super Tucano fighter aircraft engaged terrorists following an attack on troops at Forward Operating Base Bagega in Zamfara State.
He said coordinated air strikes and ground offensives neutralised several terrorists and led to the recovery of motorcycles and rifles.
“One soldier was also killed during the operation,” he added.
The DDMO further disclosed that troops rescued kidnapped victims in Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa and Edo states.
Particularly dramatic, according to Major General Onoja, was the rescue of schoolchildren abducted from the Daarul-Kitab Islamic Orphanage in Kogi State.
He said troops intercepted the victims inside Agbaja Forest and safely evacuated them.
The DDMO also revealed that troops arrested an ammunition courier transporting 500 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition hidden inside a bag of maize along the Obajana-Lokoja road.
In Edo State, Major General Onoja said troops foiled multiple kidnapping attempts and arrested suspected kidnappers during coordinated raids involving security agencies and vigilante groups.
He also announced the arrest of a suspected IPOB/ESN gunrunner in Abia State who was allegedly found with illegal Biafran currency notes.
Major General Onoja said the latest operations demonstrated the determination of the Armed Forces to reclaim communities from terrorists and criminal groups nationwide.
“The evidence is clear: across every geopolitical zone, the Nigerian military is on the march,” he declared.
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