Troops in Bauchi capture ISWAP leader, eliminate 52 terrorists

According to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), 52 terrorists have been killed and a leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Bauchi State has been taken into custody by Nigerian military personnel and agents of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The ISWAP chief was detained during a sting operation at Tarum, a village outside of Bauchi Metropolis, according to the DHQ.

This was revealed in a statement released on Friday by Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations.

The DHQ stated that the detained ISWAP leader was in control of the North Central and North West zones, albeit it did not disclose the leader’s name.

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The military high command stated that forces were “targeting the leadership of terrorist groups to ensure they pose no further threat to the safety and security of citizens,” and this included the arrest of the ISWAP chief.

According to Buba, continuous military operations around the nation have weakened and destroyed the fighting capability of terrorists and other criminal forces.

“The main focus of continuing operations continues to be the leadership of these groups. Thus, he said, “the armed services are still committed to eliminating terrorists, rebels, and violent extremist organisations throughout the nation and weakening their military power.

According to a spokesman for the defence department, during the previous week, airstrikes by Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft destroyed many terrorist leaders’ sanctuaries in the North West and North Central zones.

52 terrorists were neutralised as a result of the operations during the week in question, and 204 others were taken into custody, according to Buba.

“Troops also freed 234 hostages who had been kidnapped and arrested 58 individuals who had stolen oil.”Troops found 5,000 litres of kerosene, 567,700 litres of illegally processed diesel, and 267,700 litres of stolen crude oil in the South-South zone.

Seven dugout pits, twenty-five boats, forty-seven storage tanks, five cars, one pumping machine, one outboard motor, one tricycle, one speedboat, one tugboat, and fifty-one illicit refining facilities were destroyed by the troops.

He continued by saying that the soldiers had found 46 different types of weapons and 148 different types of ammunition, including two Josef magnum pump action guns, 30 AK-47 rifles, 12 locally made pistols, 13 Dane guns, one hand grenade, nine locally made rifles, three RPG chargers, and two locally made hand grenades.

Additional goods found, according to Buba, include 34 automobiles, 64 cell phones, 47 motorcycles, 120 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 364 rounds of 7.62mm special munitions, 54 live cartridges, 11 rounds of empty cases of 7.62mm special ammo, 32 magazines, and N1,582,690.00.