Armed Forces Report Major Gains as 317 Terrorists Neutralised, 221 Victims Rescued – DHQ,

The Defence Headquarters, (DHQ) has revealed that troops neutralized 317 terrorists, arrested 314 suspects and rescued 221 kidnapped victims in their various theatres of operations across the country in the 2nd quarter of the year.
This was disclosed by the Director of Media Operations, (DMO) Major General Micheal Onoja on Tuesday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the activities of the armed forces saying that troops maintained a relentless posture until the perpetrators are brought to account and the region’s security is completely restored.
Major General Onoja disclosed that in the North East, 73 insurgents were killed, 159 suspects arrested, 112 kidnapped victims rescued and 18 repentant terrorists surrendered to the troops.
He said during the period, troops of Operation HADIN KAI sustained offensive operations against remnants of Boko Haram/ISWAP in Adamawa, Borno, Taraba and Yobe States, with a compelling succession of operational successes.
He said during 15th – 25th May 2026, troops witnessed a marked acceleration in clearance operations and an unprecedented wave of voluntary terrorist surrenders, powerfully demonstrating the irreversible erosion of insurgent morale under relentless military pressure.
In addition, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA recorded encounters with armed terrorists in Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara States during the period, severely degrading hostile networks through aggressive offensive action and precision intelligence operations.
He said 24 insurgents were neutralized, 13 arrested, 22 civilians rescued.
On Operation ENDURING PEACE, he said troops exhibited relentless operational drive across Plateau and parts of Bauchi, Federal Capital Territory, Kaduna and Nasarawa States during the period, achieving landmark results in the neutralisation of kidnapping networks and the elimination of dangerous criminal infrastructure embedded within civilian communities.
He said 9 terrorists were killed, 36 arrested and 15 civilians rescued.
He said that following the arrest of two kidnappers in Qua’an Pan LGA of Plateau State on 29 April, four other gang members were neutralised in their hideout during a targeted follow-up operation.
Also, a suspect was arrested along the Abaji-Kwali expressway in Abuja with 250 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition concealed in the engine compartment of a vehicle.
He said the arrest revealed the calculated mechanisms for trafficking of illegal arms within the country.
“During the period, troops of Operation DELTA SAFE conducted a multi-domain offensive across Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers States, dismantling kidnapping networks and criminal economic saboteurs targeting Nigeria’s petroleum infrastructure.
“Altogether, 14 criminals were arrested, 3 illegal refining sites were destroyed and 21, 910 litres of assorted petroleum products were recovered.
In a timely and impactful intervention to boost food production and to enhance civil-military relations ahead of the 2026 farming season, the Nigerian Army, through Operation FANSAN YAMMA, on 13 May 2026, donated 400 bags of fertilizer to farming communities in Maru LGA of Zamfara State, complementing the humanitarian efforts.
“ The Nigerian Army, at a distribution ceremony held at the palace of the Emir of Maru, reaffirmed the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to improving community livelihoods through non-kinetic initiatives that run parallel with active security operations,” he said.
The gallantry of the troops was praised and Nigerians were called to give timely intelligence information to sustain the gains.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday reserved judgment in the trial of five men accused of being involved in the June 5, 2022 terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State that killed 41 worshippers.
Justice Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, adjourned judgment to a date to be communicated to the parties, after counsel to the prosecution and defence adopted their final written addresses.
Lawyers were told by the judge that the court would notify them when the judgment was ready, and that the notice might come within 24 hours.
Counsel to the Department of State Services, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), in his final address, urged the court to convict the defendants and sentence them to death, the maximum punishment for the offence allegedly committed, due to the gravity of the offence.
Counsel to the defendants, Abdullahi Mohammad, however, prayed the court to discharge and acquit his clients, saying the prosecution failed to establish its case against them.
The defendants are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar.
The trial had started on August 1, 2025, and the DSS had called 11 witnesses to prove the allegations against the suspects.
The court had previously admitted the defendants’ confessional statements following a trial-within-a-trial to determine whether the statements were made voluntarily.
Also, no fewer than 140 persons were injured in the attack. At the beginning of the trial, the DSS had sought and obtained an expedited hearing of the case.