DHQ Confirms Rescue of 388 Kidnap Victims, Arrest 31 Terrorists

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) announced on Tuesday that troops across the country rescued 388 kidnapped victims, arrested 31 terrorists, and killed 10 others in coordinated operations over the past week.

Major General Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, shared these updates during a press briefing in Abuja about the Armed Forces’ ongoing efforts against terrorists, kidnappers, oil thieves, and other criminals.

Onoja reported that troops involved in Operation Fansan Yamma made important gains against terrorists and criminal groups in Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara states.

He said troops stopped a vehicle carrying arms and ammunition hidden in a sack of millet along the Gusau-Shinkafi road in Zamfara State on June 5.

“On 5 June 2026 at a snap checkpoint on the road from Gusau to Shinkafi in Zamfara State, troops stopped a vehicle and found a locally made 9mm pistol, 1,002 rounds of 7.62 mm by 39 mm ammunition, 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and 10 rounds of 9.4mm ammunition,” he said.

The military spokesman named the suspect as Mallam Mustapha Abubakar, who is believed to be an arms dealer. He added that troops later arrested the person who was supposed to receive the weapons in Shinkafi Local Government Area.

He also said that troops killed terrorists in separate operations in Birnin Magaji and Maru Local Government Areas of Zamfara State. They also recovered motorcycles, communication devices, uniforms, and other supplies.

In the North-East, Onoja said troops with Operation Hadin Kai have stepped up their efforts against Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters by carrying out raids, patrols, and clearance operations in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states.

He said that military operations in the Mandara Mountains helped rescue hundreds of civilians who had been abducted by terrorists.

“The operational achievements peaked on 6 June 2026, when troops executed a highly sophisticated multi-axis raid across the Mandara Mountains in Gwoza LGA of Borno State.

“This daring manoeuvre induced widespread chaos within the terrorist networks, enabling ground troops to successfully rescue 360 civilians, predominantly women and children, who had been held since their abduction during an attack on the Ngoshe community on March 3, 2026,” Onoja stated.

He said that while two infants sadly died because of the difficult terrain, the other 358 victims were taken to the hospital for treatment and then handed over to the authorities.

The military also rescued several women and children who managed to escape from terrorist areas after ongoing attacks on insurgent hideouts.

The Defence Headquarters reported that several people suspected of being terrorist informants, collaborators, and logistics suppliers were arrested in the North-East.

Those arrested included suspected informants in Yobe and Adamawa states, along with logistics suppliers found with food, communication devices, drugs, and other items that were reportedly meant for terrorist groups.

Onoja also said that a 20-year-old suspected terrorist named Fannami Ali surrendered to troops in Monguno, Borno State.

In the North-Central region, troops involved in Operations Savannah Shield, Enduring Peace, and Whirl Stroke made progress against kidnappers and other criminals in Niger, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, and Taraba states.

The military spokesman said troops rescued six kidnapped passengers on the Hawan Kibo-Rafin Sayin road in Plateau State after responding to an attack.

He added that two more abducted passengers were rescued in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area after security forces carried out a search-and-rescue operation.

In Kogi State, troops rescued two kidnap victims—a bar manager and a sales girl—after terrorists left them behind while trying to escape from the military.

Crackdown On Oil Theft, Kidnappers

Onoja said troops of Operation Delta Safe sustained operations against crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in the Niger Delta.

According to him, illegal oil bunkering facilities, stolen petroleum products and illegal refining infrastructure were discovered and dismantled in Rivers, Delta, Edo and Akwa Ibom states.

He added that troops arrested five suspected kidnappers in Edo State who allegedly confessed to involvement in kidnapping activities over the past two years.

In the South-East, Onoja said troops of Operation Udoka, working alongside other security agencies, arrested suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network.

He disclosed that troops recovered large caches of weapons, including AK-47 rifles, a General Purpose Machine Gun, an RPG-7 launcher, hand grenades, magazines and hundreds of rounds of ammunition during raids in Enugu and Abia states.

“The coordinated exploitation of intelligence obtained from earlier arrested suspects significantly degraded the operational capacity of the proscribed group,” he said.

Onoja reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces to sustaining pressure on terrorists, kidnappers, oil thieves and other criminal elements across the country.

He said ongoing operations were aimed at dismantling criminal networks, disrupting logistics chains and restoring peace and security in affected communities.