The Defense Headquarters (DHQ) announced that Nigerian Army troops, in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested the leader of the Islamic State of West Africa Regional (ISWAP) terrorist group in Bauchi State.
The Director of Defense Media Operations, Edward Buba, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, December 1, saying the terrorist leader was arrested in a sting operation in Tarmu, a village outside Bauchi city.
Buba said the military’s determination to pursue the leader of the terrorist group led to the arrest of the terrorist leader, noting that an air operation conducted in the area led to the destruction of the terrorist enclave.
He said, “The ongoing military operations continue to decimate the fighting capabilities of insurgents, terrorists, and violent extremists throughout the country. Thus, their fighting capability has been reduced and they are on the run.
The military is targeting the leaders of these groups to ensure that they do not threaten the safety and security of civilians.” Importantly, on November 29, 23, in the village of Tarum, located outside the city of Bauchi, Bauchi State.
‘The unit conducted a sting operation in cooperation with DSS personnel, which resulted in the arrest of the leader of the ISWAP terrorist group responsible for the North Central and North West zones. He is in custody. Similarly, air operations against terrorist leaders’ enclaves in the North Central and Northwest Zones were also conducted with great success.”
Buba also said that his troops killed 52 terrorists and arrested 204 others last week, adding that they also rescued 234 kidnapped victims.
The week’s focused operations resulted in the neutralization of 52 terrorists and the arrest of 204. Troops also arrested 58 oil thieves and rescued 234 kidnapped hostages.
In the South-South region, he said, troops intercepted N668 million in oil theft and recovered 267,700 liters of stolen crude oil, 567,700 liters of illegally refined AGO, and 5,000 liters of DPK.
In the SS, the troops denied stealing crude oil with an estimated value of $668,731,000. Troops in the Niger Delta region destroyed seven dugouts, 25 boats, 47 storage tanks, five vehicles, 141 cooking ovens, one pumping machine, one outboard motor, one tricycle, one speedboat, one tugboat, and 51 illegal refinery sites. The unit recovered 267,700 liters of stolen crude oil, 567,700 liters of illegally refined AGO, and 5,000 liters of DPK.
