By Nkechi Eze
The Armed Forces of Nigeria, working with other security agencies and Hybrid Forces, have recorded sweeping gains against terrorism, insurgency, banditry and other criminal activities in a week of intensified air–ground operations that neutralised key threats, rescued kidnapped victims, recovered arms and ammunition, and dismantled criminal enclaves across the country.
Director Defence Media Operations Major General Markus Kangye disclosed in its weekly operational update, that the successes reflect “the unwavering resolve of the Nigerian Armed Forces to defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of our nation.” He added: “These operations are yielding tangible results, restoring peace and security to affected communities, and reaffirming our commitment to securing every inch of Nigerian territory.” The tempo of operations, it emphasised, has also enabled farmers to carry out activities “unhindered,” a push the military pledged to sustain throughout the season and beyond.
In the North East, troops of Operation HADIN KAI sustained momentum between 14 and 21 August 2025, denying Boko Haram, ISWAP and JAS terrorists freedom of action across Borno and Yobe States through aggressive, intelligence-led manoeuvres executed with the Air Component, Hybrid Forces and local security stakeholders. Actions in and around Danbore, Arnari, Limankara, Kekeno, Gajiram and Gonori, covering Monguno, Kukawa, Mobbar, Gwoza, Konduga, Chibok, Nganzai and Bama LGAs as well as Damaturu LGA in Yobe, resulted in scores of terrorists neutralised, nine suspects arrested and three kidnapped victims rescued. A complementary sweep between 13 and 20 August in the general areas of Kurtum, Gamboru Ngala, Auno, Ngulde and Kwatan Alkama; Biu, Ngala, Konduga, Gubio, Askira Uba, Damboa and Kukawa LGAs of Borno; and Geidam, Damaturu and Nguru LGAs of Yobe led to the elimination of a suspected terrorist, arrest of nine collaborators/informants and rescue of three more victims. Troops recovered weapons, ammunition, logistics items, vehicles and motorcycles, safely detonated several IEDs and seized the sum of N191,700. Following the 7 August arrest of a suspected terrorist in Gubio LGA, the suspect confessed to a concealed cache; on 17 August, guided by an accomplice, troops recovered three AK-47 rifles with magazines and ammunition from the site.
In the North West theatre, Operation FANSAN YAMMA upscaled offensive actions between 13 and 20 August across Shinkafi, Anka, Bukkuyum, Kaura Namoda and Tsafe LGAs of Zamfara State, as well as Faskari and Danmusa LGAs of Katsina State and Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State, killing terrorists, arresting three and rescuing 14 kidnapped victims. Responding to additional intelligence in Kafur (Katsina) and Sabon Birni (Sokoto) LGAs, alongside Tsafe (Zamfara), Igabi (Kaduna) and Mariga (Niger) LGAs, troops eliminated more terrorists, arrested 11 and rescued 46 kidnapped victims. Separately, between 14 and 18 August, 11 suspected terrorists and an accomplice were arrested in Shanga LGA of Kebbi State, Tangaza LGA of Sokoto State and Maradun LGA of Zamfara State.
Across the North Central, Operation SAFE HAVEN responded to multiple distress calls in Jos North, Riyom, Wase, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Mangu and Kanam LGAs of Plateau State, and Kaura and Sanga LGAs of Kaduna State, killing armed assailants, arresting two criminals and rescuing five kidnapped victims, with weapons, ammunition, motorcycles and vehicles recovered. In a significant control-of-arms milestone, the General Officer Commanding handed over 220 arms and 1,874 rounds of ammunition recovered in the theatre to the Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Mr Abdul Adamu, on 17 August in Jos. Additionally, troops arrested the wanted notorious criminal Adamu Buba, alias “Mai Pankshin,” along with 13 others across Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Jos South, Bassa and Jos North LGAs of Plateau State and Jaba and Zangon Kataf LGAs of Kaduna State; arms, ammunition and motorcycles were recovered, and interrogation is ongoing.
In Operation WHIRL STROKE, coordinated missions between 14 and 20 August in Gwer West, Ukum, Katsina-Ala and Guma LGAs of Benue State; Akwanga, Kokona and Keana LGAs of Nasarawa State; Gassol, Wukari and Karim Lamido LGAs of Taraba State; Lokoja and Kabba LGAs of Kogi State; and the Bwari Area Council of the FCT yielded further successes, with terrorists neutralised, seven suspects arrested and five kidnapped victims rescued. Troops recovered arms, ammunition, vehicles, motorcycles and mobile phones. Earlier, between 13 and 16 August, a suspected gunrunner and three other criminals were arrested in Gwer West (Benue) and Keana (Nasarawa), while two suspected kidnappers’ collaborators were apprehended in Wukari LGA of Taraba State.
In the South-South, Operation DELTA SAFE disrupted oil theft valued at N25,045,400, seizing 25,820 litres of stolen crude and destroying two crude-oil cooking ovens, four dugout pits, three boats, seven storage tanks and eight illegal refining sites. Thirty-three oil thieves and other criminals were arrested, with assorted arms, ammunition and explosives recovered, alongside pumping machines, mobile phones, three tricycles and four vehicles. Troops also arrested a gunrunner, drug peddlers and six other suspects in Okpe, Ukwani, Uvwie, Ethiope West, Oshimili West and Oshimili North LGAs of Delta State, and Etim Ekpo and Itu LGAs of Akwa Ibom State, while four pipeline vandals were picked up in Bonny and Okrika LGAs of Rivers State. On 17 August in Aniocha LGA of Delta State, troops foiled a ransom-collection attempt by kidnappers, killing three, rescuing the victim and recovering arms, ammunition and N2,336,000 allegedly intended as ransom.
In the South-East, troops of Operation UDO KA maintained an offensive posture, engaging and killing armed elements and arresting four suspected IPOB/ESN members in Okigwe and Owerri West LGAs of Imo State and Obingwa LGA of Abia State, with additional operations conducted across communities bordering Anambra, Abia and Imo States. Weapons, ammunition and a vehicle were recovered. In a joint action with NAPTIP on 18 August, troops raided an orphanage identified as Dennis Divine Favour in Owerri West LGA, rescuing nine pregnant women, seven infants and four children who were handed over to NAPTIP for further investigation. Between 13 and 17 August, four additional IPOB/ESN criminals and a sympathiser were arrested in Umunneochi and Ihiala LGAs of Anambra State and Okigwe LGA of Imo State.
Defence Headquarters reaffirmed that joint forces will sustain pressure on violent actors and economic saboteurs “in line with global best practices,” pledging to consolidate the gains made and to keep working with Hybrid Forces, security agencies and local stakeholders until peace is restored to all troubled parts of the country. “The intensity of our operations has afforded our farmers to carry out farming activities unhindered,” the update stressed. “This effort will be sustained throughout the farming season and beyond.”
