Troops Neutralise 92 Terrorists, Arrest 111 Suspects — DHQ

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, has announced the neutralisation of 92 terrorists between the 27th of February and the 6th of March 2025.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja on the activities of the military and other security agencies on Thursday, General Kangye said troops also apprehended 18 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 75 kidnapped hostages.

He added that apprehended by troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria include gunrunners, oil theft collaborators and other violent extremists while the air component also, conducted several close air support, armed reconnaissance patrols as well as air interdiction missions.

The Defence Headquarters recently established Operation Safe Corridor in the North-Western zone of Nigeria, with its headquarters located in Tsafe, Zamfara State.

The initiative aims to curb insecurity by providing a structured process for rehabilitating and reintegrating repentant terrorists who voluntarily surrender their arms.

During the official handover of office facilities that will serve as the operational headquarters, Governor Dauda Lawal reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting security efforts in combating criminal activities.

The establishment of Operation Safe Corridor in the North-West is expected to complement ongoing military operations aimed at restoring peace and stability in the region.

With the headquarters now in Zamfara State, security stakeholders are hopeful that the programme will help reduce violence and reintegrate ex-fighters who are ready to abandon criminality.

Operation Safe Corridor is a specialised military initiative designed to offer a pathway for former insurgents and bandits to reintegrate into society.

The operation is structured around five key components: Disarmament, Demobilization, De-radicalization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration.

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The programme has been successfully implemented in the North-East zone, targeting Boko Haram defectors, and is now being expanded to the North-West to address the ongoing security crisis in states like Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, and Kaduna.