Troops have killed no less than 814 terrorists and arrested 1,903 criminal elements across the various theatres of operations in the last three months, according to authorities.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this during the quarterly review of joint military operations on Thursday.
While 721 hostages were rescued from captivity, the troops recovered 501 weapons, 3,577 livestock, 3,269 assorted ammunition and 674 other equipment. 4,560 terrorist and their families also surrendered to troops.
Authorities have warned that the military would not spare those taking sides with terrorists.
“It is clear from our operations that the terrorists and their cohorts have sustained a significant number of casualties. They will continue to sustain even more casualties as we move forward. The illusion by these groups to embark on terrorism or insurgency is laughable.
“Increasingly, they have become more of a criminal organisation, which is why they fight. They fight, so that they can keep profiting from criminal activities such as illegal mining, kidnapping, cattle rustling, illegal levies on fishing and farming communities and all other unholy forms of criminal inclinations.
“Indeed, if these groups don’t come to the table in peace. We will ceaselessly punish them with overwhelming military force. For those supporting them, they have picked the wrong side and will face similar fate as these criminals and murderers” he said.
On the war against oil theft in South-South geopolitical zone, he said the troops recovered 6,652,250 litres of stolen crude oil, 3,558,325 litres of illegally refined AGO, 288,650 litres of DPK and 65,600 PMS, denying oil thieves of N4 billion worth of crude oil.
Authorities have advised terrorists and their cohorts to drop their arms and rejoin society to provide a better life for themselves and their children or risk annihilation if they fail to do so.
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