Esther Oseyiomon
The Nigerian military has intensified coordinated security operations across the country, recording the arrest of 452 criminal suspects, the rescue of 284 kidnapped victims and significant disruption of terrorist and organised crime networks in January.
The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) said the operations, conducted between January 1 and 29, 2026, formed part of a sustained strategy to dismantle insurgent cells, curb banditry and restore stability across troubled regions.
Speaking at a media briefing at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said troops executed synchronised ground and air operations across the North-East, North-West, North-Central, South-South and South-East theatres.
In the North-East, troops under Operation HADIN KAI maintained pressure on Boko Haram, ISWAP and JAS elements in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. According to the military, several insurgents were neutralised, 74 suspects arrested and 40 kidnapped victims rescued, while 44 terrorists and their families surrendered. Air operations also degraded key enclaves in the Northern Tumbus and Timbuktu Triangle.
Operations in the North-West under Operation FANSAN YAMMA focused on terrorist and bandit enclaves across Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger and Kebbi states. The offensive led to the arrest of 52 suspects and the rescue of 100 abducted persons, with air support contributing to the disruption of criminal hideouts, particularly in parts of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
In the North-Central zone, Operations ENDURING PEACE and WHIRL STROKE recorded major gains across Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Kogi, Kwara, Niger states and the Federal Capital Territory. Troops arrested 144 suspects, rescued 62 victims and apprehended a notorious kidnap kingpin, Amadu Adamu, in southern Kaduna.
The South-South theatre witnessed heightened action against oil theft and illegal refining under Operation DELTA SAFE. Troops dismantled 53 illegal refining sites, arrested 81 suspects and recovered large quantities of stolen petroleum products, aided by sustained aerial surveillance in riverine areas.
In the South-East, troops of Operation UDO KA sustained security operations across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states, arresting 22 suspects and rescuing 11 kidnapped victims. Over 80 militants surrendered during the period, while eight Cameroonian nationals were rescued along the Bakassi axis.
The military reaffirmed its resolve to sustain the offensive and urged citizens to support security efforts through timely and credible intelligence, stressing that public cooperation remains vital to defeating terrorism and organised crime nationwide.