Troops Neutralise 18 Terrorists, Rescue 14 Victims, Arrest 47 Suspects in 48-Hour Nationwide Operations – Army
Abuja – Nigerian Army troops have neutralised 18 terrorists, rescued 14 kidnapped victims and apprehended 47 criminal suspects across multiple theatres in a coordinated 48-hour offensive ending Tuesday, December 9, 2025.
A senior military source at Army Headquarters disclosed the successes to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), highlighting combined ground and air operations that also destroyed two Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs) and disrupted terrorist logistics.
Key highlights:
– North-East: Troops of 135 Special Forces Battalion repelled an ISWAP/JAS attack in Dutsen Nonu, Biu LGA, Borno State, killing 15 terrorists through ground combat and air strikes. Two logistics suppliers were arrested in Maiduguri with materials for IED fabrication.
– North-West: Operations in Zamfara, Kebbi and Jigawa saw troops intercept terrorists, recover livestock (110 cows, 46 sheep) in Plateau, and arrest a suspected kidnapper in Godogodo, Kaduna State.
– South-South & South-East: In Edo State, 195 Battalion arrested 33 suspected Aiye cult members in Etsako West LGA, recovering three pump-action guns, cutlasses and charms after intercepting them returning from an initiation ceremony. Eleven undocumented Nigerien migrants were handed over to Immigration in Cross River.
– North-Central: Operation Whirl Stroke rescued two kidnap victims in Kurmi LGA, Taraba State, with two others escaping captivity.
Weapons and items recovered include AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, cartridges, motorcycles, mobile phones and cult regalia.
The Army reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the momentum, urging citizens to provide credible intelligence to end terrorism and criminality across the country.
