The Armed Forces of Nigeria neutralised 552 terrorists and criminals, arrested 1,333 others and rescued 1,736 kidnapped civilians across the country between July and September 2026, the Defence Headquarters has said.
The military also recorded the surrender of 333 insurgents, recovered 244 arms and 8,160 rounds of ammunition, destroyed 104 illegal refining sites and recovered 1.61 million litres of stolen petroleum products during operations in the third quarter.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed the figures on Wednesday at the Defence Headquarters Combined Monthly and Third Quarter Media Briefing on ongoing military operations.
Onoja said the figures represented the cumulative results of kinetic and non-kinetic operations conducted across the country against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, oil theft, organised crime and secessionist activities.
He said the operations focused on disrupting terrorist and criminal networks, rescuing abducted civilians, recovering weapons and logistics, and protecting critical national infrastructure.
In the North-East, troops under Operation HADIN KAI sustained counter-terrorism operations across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
Onoja said troops rescued 44 family members of terrorists in Konduga, Borno State, comprising 13 women and 31 children.
He said the individuals fled terrorist enclaves amid clashes between rival factions.
The theatre also recorded a series of surrenders, with insurgents and their families abandoning terrorist enclaves and surrendering to troops.
According to Onoja, some of those who surrendered cited hunger, harsh living conditions and lack of basic necessities in terrorist enclaves around the Mandara Mountains and Lake Chad region.
Some surrendered with weapons, including AK-47 rifles, a hand grenade and an improvised explosive device.
In the North-West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA troops, supported by the Air Component, conducted offensive operations against terrorists, bandits and kidnappers across Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states.
Onoja said an air operation on September 17 disrupted terrorists transporting a large number of kidnapped victims in the Bazama area of Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The operation enabled more than 60 kidnapped civilians to escape.
Troops also recovered rifles, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, a machine gun and ammunition during clearance operations.
In the North-Central, troops under Operations SAVANNAH SHIELD, ENDURING PEACE and WHIRL STROKE conducted offensive, rescue and clearance operations across several states.
Onoja said Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD troops rescued 22 kidnap victims during an operation against terrorists at Muchiya village in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
Troops also conducted IED clearance operations in Niger and Kwara states, safely defusing 12 devices and reopening affected routes.
Operation ENDURING PEACE troops conducted raids and rescue operations across Bauchi, Kaduna and Plateau states, while Operation WHIRL STROKE targeted kidnapping and arms-trafficking networks in Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa and Taraba states.
Onoja said troops under Operation WHIRL STROKE also rescued 18 passengers abducted from a bus at Andaha Community along the Jos-Akwanga Road in Nasarawa State.
In the South-South, Operation DELTA SAFE intensified operations against oil theft, illegal refining, kidnapping and organised crime in Bayelsa, Edo and Rivers states.
Onoja said troops destroyed illegal refining sites and recovered large quantities of suspected stolen crude oil and refined petroleum products.
He said troops recovered about 87,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil at Aworkiri on September 8, while another 182,000 litres were discovered at Bethel Creek in Rivers State on September 22.
The Nigerian Navy, under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, also discovered and deactivated two illegal refining sites at Ogbogolo Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The operation led to the recovery of about 33,800 litres of petroleum products, comprising 28,520 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil and 5,280 litres of stolen crude oil.
In the South-East, Operation UDO KA troops sustained operations against secessionist elements and criminal networks in Anambra, Enugu and Imo states.
Onoja said troops neutralised criminals, arrested suspects, rescued kidnapped victims and dismantled an illegal bunkering site in Imo State.
Troops also arrested a suspected secessionist IED fabrication expert along the Umulolo Junction-Linka-Ihube axis near Okigwe.
At Obibi Forest in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State, troops recovered a General Purpose Machine Gun, a rifle, ammunition and a motorcycle abandoned by fleeing suspected secessionist elements.
They also rescued a woman who had allegedly been held for about two months after being abducted from her hairdressing salon.
Onoja said 367 attacks were recorded across the various operational theatres during the third quarter.
He said Operation HADIN KAI recorded 33 attacks, FANSAN YAMMA 115, SAVANNAH SHIELD 13, ENDURING PEACE 147, WHIRL STROKE 55 and UDO KA four. Operation DELTA SAFE recorded no attacks.
He said troops responded to the incidents through coordinated engagements, tactical manoeuvres and other operational measures.
According to him, the operations disrupted terrorist and kidnapping activities, rescued abducted civilians, cleared improvised explosive devices and protected communities, key routes and critical infrastructure.
Beyond combat operations, Onoja said the Armed Forces sustained civil-military initiatives aimed at strengthening relations with host communities.
He said the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association graduated beneficiaries of a skills acquisition programme in Enugu, while school bags and books were distributed to pupils and students of military schools.
In Yobe State, troops also conducted an anti-drug awareness campaign for more than 300 students.
Onoja said the initiatives were part of efforts to address social conditions that could make young people vulnerable to criminal and terrorist networks.
The Director said the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, commended troops for their professionalism, dedication and sacrifice across the operational theatres.
He also acknowledged the support of other security agencies, local security groups and communities in ongoing operations.
Onoja said the CDS commended Zinox Group for partnering with the Armed Forces to establish an online discount store scheme for serving and retired military personnel and their families.
He also appealed to Nigerians, traditional rulers and community leaders to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.
Members of the public, he said, could provide information to the nearest military formation or through the toll-free line 193, with assurances that such information would be treated confidentially.
Onoja urged Nigerians to uphold the principle of “See Something, Say Something”, stressing that national security remained a shared responsibility.
