Troops Kill 216 Terrorists, Arrest 284, Rescue 188 Hostages In April

Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Thursday said troops killed 216 terrorists, arrested 284 terrorists including ring leaders and rescued 188 kidnap hostages in multiple operations across the country in April 2026.

The Director Defence Media Operations Major General Michael Onoja, briefing Journalists on military operations in the Month of April said troops also recovered large cache of arms and ammunitions across the country.

“During this period, the AFN neutralised 201 number of terrorists across multiple engagements; rescued 188 of abducted civilians including women, children, the elderly, orphans, farmers, and worshippers and restored them to their families; stormed and destroyed numerous terrorist camps, criminal enclaves, IED-laden hideouts, and illicit armament production facilities; and arrested 284 key ring leaders, logisticians, and collaborators who had hitherto operated with impunity.”

He gave a breakdown of achievements as followed, in the North East, he said troops killed 136 terrorists, arrested 144 suspected terrorists, rescued
18 victims while nine terrorists surrendered to troops.
In the North West, he said troops neutralised 24 terrorists, arrested 32, rescued 70 while one terrorist surrendered to troops .
In the North Central, troops of operation Savannah Shield killed 21 terrorists, arrested 17 and rescued
10 kidnap victims
In the same vein, troops of operation
Enduring Peace killed 18 killed terrorists , arrested 48 and rescued
53 kidnap victims.
Relatedly, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke killed 14 terrorists, arrested
40 and rescued 35 kidnap victims.
Meanwhile, troops of Delta Safe within the period arrested
17 suspects , destroyed two illegal refining sites and recovered
101,443 litres of petroleum products.
Furthermore, in the South East, troops of operation Udo Ka killed three terrorists, arrested 16 suspected terrorists and rescued two kidnap victims.
According to him, these outcomes are not abstract achievements as “behind every rescued victim is a family made whole, and behind every destroyed enclave is a community reclaimed.”

He noted that the Armed Forces holds itself fully accountable for every operation conducted, ensuring strict compliance with the Rules of Engagement, the Laws of Armed Conflict, the Rome Statutes and all applicable provisions of International Humanitarian Law.