The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said wanted terrorists leader, Ali Kachala Kawaje; terrorists bomb expert Machika Dan Muhammad, and 38 other fighters were killed in Niger State airstrikes.
The Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, who disclosed this in a statement, said the military was closing in on other wanted terrorists leaders.
“The armed forces is hunting down prominent terrorist leadership and engaging them wherever they are hiding,” he said
He said the military within the week deployed air assets on confirmed locations active with the movement of terrorist commanders and their foot soldiers.
He said the airstrikes resulted in over 38 terrorist commanders and their foot soldiers killed while 159 of them were arrested.
General Buba said the airstrikes executed on 6 Dec 23, neutralised several top terrorist commanders.
He said, “Namely, one Machika, a top terrorist bomb expert and younger brother of a notorious terrorist (Dogo Gide). Other prominent terrorist leaders neutralised include Haro and Dan Muhammadu both of whom are specialists in kidnapping and assault operations respectively”.
The Director said a further airstrike was conducted on 11 December 23, in support of ground forces resulting in the death of Ali Alhaji ALHERI popularly called Kachalla Ali KAWAJE alongside his foot soldiers in Munya local government area of Niger State.
“The military is fast closing in on others and they will equally suffer the same fate” he said.
In a similar vein, troops arrested a prominent commander of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate the Eastern Security Network (ESN), Mr Uchechukwu Akpa.
He said the commander was arrested together with three other sub- commanders, namely Udoka Anthony Ude, Ikechukwu Ulanta, and Ezennaya Udeigewere.
The director added that the trio were arrested after a raid on their hideout at Christ the King Catholic Church Ameta Mgbowo in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
He said the separatists agitators had gathered to plot a take over the leadership of IPOB/ESN Auto Pilot Command Enugu State Chapter from the apprehended former Commander known as “Chocho,” adding that they also planned to attack troop locations.
He stated that Mr Uchechukwu Akpa sustained a gunshot wound while trying to escape during the raid.
He recalled that Mr Uchechukwu Akpa was the Second in Command to Chocho, a notorious IPOB/ESN leader currently in custody.
Buba said troops arrested 66 suspected oil thieves and rescued 89 kidnapped hostages.
Troops also recovered 67 assorted weapons, 1,194 assorted ammunition and confiscated stolen products worth N161,232,500.00.
In a breakdown,he said troops recovered 20 AK47 rifles, four pump action guns, five locally fabricated rifles, two locally fabricated double barrel guns, one beretta pistol, four locally made pistols, 13 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 1,152 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 13 rounds of 9mm ammo, one round of 5.56mm ammo, 15 live cartridges.
Others include one magazine loaded with eight rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, one LMG magazine, one CZ pistol magazine, seven empty magazines, one locally made pistol magazine, one damaged magazine, one dane gun butt, five vehicles, 14 mobile phones, 32 motorcycles, one laptop and the sum of N1,123,800.00 amongst other items.
Meanwhile,in the Niger Delta, troops destroyed 64 illegal refining sites, 15 dugout pits, 25 boats, 74 storage tanks, 14 vehicles, 115 cooking ovens, 13 reservoirs, 10 cooling systems, 10 receivers, 3 pumping machines.
Troops recovered 357,350 litres of stolen crude oil, 185,300 litres of illegally refined AGO and 20,600 litres of PMS.
Other items recovered are; one AK 47 Rifle, Two AK 47 Magazine, 25 rounds of 7.62mm NATO special ammunition.
” The armed forces are winning the war, and have the upper hand. Ongoing operations would only be completed, once the terrorists surrender or are totally defeated” he said.