The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said troops of the Nigerian Army in collaboration with the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested the leader of the Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP) terrorist group in Bauchi State.
Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, December 1, 2023, said the terrorist leader was arrested during a sting operation at Tarum, a village outside Bauchi Metropolis.
Buba said the resolve of the military to go after the leaders of the terrorist groups led to the arrest of the terrorist leader, noting that air operations conducted in the regions have led to the destruction of the terrorists’ enclaves.
“The ongoing military operations continue to decimate the fighting force of the insurgents, terrorists, and violent extremists across the country. Accordingly, their fighting capacity is low and they are on the run,” the statement read.
“Troops are targeting the leadership of these groups to ensure they pose no further threat to the safety and security of citizens. Significantly, on 29 Nov 23, at Tarum Village located on the outside of Bauchi Metropolis in Bauchi State
“Troops collaborated with personnel of DSS to conduct a sting operation that culminated in the arrest of the leader of ISWAP terrorist group in charge of North Central and North West Zones. He is in custody. Similarly, air interactions have been conducted on several enclaves of these terrorist leaders in the NW and NC zones with much success.”
Buba also said troops killed 52 terrorists and arrested 204 in the last week, adding that 234 kidnapped victims were also rescued.
“The operations of the week in focus, resulted in 52 neutralised terrorists, while 204 of them were arrested. Troops also arrested 58 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 234 kidnapped hostages.”
In the South-South region, he said troops denied oil thieves N668m and recovered 267,700 litres of stolen crude oil, 567,700 litres of illegally refined AGO, and 5,000 litres of DPK.
“In the SS, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of N668,731,000.00 only. Troops in the Niger Delta area destroyed 7 dugout pits, 25 boats, 47 storage tanks, 5 vehicles, 141 cooking ovens, one pumping machine, one outboard engine, one tricycle, one speedboat, one tugboat, and 51 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 267,700 litres of stolen crude oil, 567,700 litres of illegally refined AGO, and 5,000 litres of DPK.”