The Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Major General AE Abubakar, has revealed that Nigerian Army troops have eliminated over 20 terrorists within just the past week, as part of renewed military operations to suppress a resurgence of attacks in the North-East.
During a media briefing, General Abubakar admitted that insurgents had recently stepped up offensives in certain remote areas.
However, he emphasized that the armed forces continue to make meaningful progress in restoring stability throughout the region.
“There is little doubt that normalcy has greatly returned to the North East region compared to where we were five to ten years ago,” he stated.
“In war, you have several campaigns which are a series of coordinated operations aimed at achieving strategic objectives.
“So, you win some, you lose some. But what is most important is the statistics of what you win against what you lose.
“In the last one week alone, I can tell you for a fact that over 20 terrorists have been neutralized, and we have recovered several arms and ammunition,” he added.
Highlighting some of the military’s recent achievements, the commander pointed to the successful operations in Malamfatori and Kukawa, where nearly 20,000 displaced persons have now returned to their ancestral homes.
He described the return of the IDPs as a significant accomplishment.
Nevertheless, he expressed concern over the renewed wave of attacks, linking it to the deteriorating security situation in the Greater Sahel.
According to him, the fall of military bases in neighboring countries has led to an influx of weapons, many of which cross into Nigeria through the country’s porous borders.
“Two years ago, we were ready to say the conflict was over, but the deterioration in security among Sahel states has also affected us,” he noted.
General Abubakar further explained that the Nigerian military has since restructured its forces, deploying new assets and personnel to reinforce operations.
However, terrorists have adapted by targeting soft spots and exploiting media coverage to push their propaganda.
Despite these challenges, he expressed unwavering confidence in the military’s mission.
“We will completely defeat this terrorism and restore peace to the region once and for all in the shortest possible time,” he assured.