The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Thursday says troops deployed to different areas of operations across the country neutralised 140 terrorists, arrested 135 persons and rescued 76 kidnapped hostages.
The military high command also said troops in the South East at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Orsu conducted a sting operation that culminated in the arrest of an IPOB terrorist leader.
The DHQ said the arrested IPOB terrorist leader, identified as Pius Iguh, is a founding father of Eastern Security Network (ESN) group in Orsu, Imo state.
The Director Defence Media Operations Maj-Gen Edward Buba who disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja, said troops at FOB Amaruku conducted a raid that resulted in arrest of another IPOB terrorist commander identified as Emmanuel Onwugu.
General Buba said he was arrested in Mbano LGA of Abia state.
Speaking on military operations against oil theft in the Niger Delta, General Buba troops arrested 18 perpetrators of oil theft.
He said troops denied the oil alleged oil thieves crude estimated to worth the sum of One Billion Seven Hundred and Fifty One Million Eight Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand Five Hundred and Fifty Naira (N1,751,886,550.00) only.
The Defence spokesperson disclosed following presidential directive to end oil theft in the South South region, production has rose from 1.1m barrel per day to 1.7m barrel per day.
“Since when that (presidential)directive was given, and the command was established, there has been significant increase in the nation’s daily oil production.
“At the time that the instructions were given, at that time, daily oil production was around 1.1m, 1.2m (barrels per day).
“But today, we are talking about 1.7m (and) getting close to 1.8m, and I’m assuring you that there is increasing rate in progress as we get towards the end of the year”, Buba said.
Speaking further, he said, troops recovered 241 assorted weapons and 3,254 assorted ammunition.
According to him, the breakdown are as follows: “141 AK47 rifles, one PKT gun, 2 FN rifles, 17 fabricated rifles, 26 dane guns, 13 pump action guns, 4 locally made pistols, one barreta pistol, 2 bayonets and 42 AK47 magazines.
“Others are 2,016 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 970 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 33 rounds 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 76 rounds of 9mm ammo, 113 live cartridges, 2 baofeng radios, 3 vehicles, 31 motorcycles, 18 mobile phones and the sum of N79,052,150.00 and 19$ only amongst other items.”