Nigerian Army Kills 317 Terrorists, Rescues 221 Kidnap Victims in May Operations — DHQ

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has disclosed that troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces neutralised 317 terrorists, arrested 314 suspects, and rescued 221 kidnapped victims in various operations across the country during the month of May 2026.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, on Thursday in Abuja.

“In the month of May, our gallant troops neutralised 317 terrorists, arrested 314 suspected criminals, and rescued 221 kidnapped victims,” the statement read.

The operations were conducted across the North East, North West, North Central, and South-South geopolitical zones.

North East: Operation Hadin Kai

In the North East, troops of Operation Hadin Kai intensified operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP elements, leading to the killing of 112 terrorists, the arrest of 98 suspects, and the rescue of 67 civilians.

The military also recovered 38 AK-47 rifles, two PKT machine guns, and 1,500 rounds of ammunition in the theatre.

North West: Operation Hadarin Daji

In the North West, under Operation Hadarin Daji, 98 terrorists were neutralised, 74 suspects arrested, and 73 kidnapped victims rescued. Recovered items include 12 AK-47 rifles, four locally-made pistols, and 3,200 rounds of ammunition.

North Central: Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke

In the North Central, troops of Operation Safe Haven killed 67 terrorists, arrested 56 suspects, and rescued 41 kidnapped victims. Similarly, Operation Whirl Stroke eliminated 40 terrorists, arrested 86 suspects, and rescued 40 victims.

South-South: Operation Delta Safe

In the South-South region, while no terrorist was neutralised, troops of Operation Delta Safe arrested 22 suspected oil thieves and recovered 45,000 litres of stolen crude oil and petroleum products.

Across all theatres, the military recovered a total of 58 AK-47 rifles, 12 locally-fabricated guns, and 6,432 rounds of assorted ammunition during the period under review.

Major General Buba commended the troops for their dedication, professionalism, and bravery, urging them to maintain the momentum until terrorism, banditry, and all forms of criminality are completely eradicated from the country.

Sources: Pulse.ng, NewsDiaryOnline, Blueprint