The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has responded to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), which ranked Nigeria as the sixth most affected country by terrorism, stating that its own reports provide a more accurate assessment of the nation’s security situation than external analyses.
Speaking on Thursday, at a bi-weekly press briefing held in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, said Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts have significantly improved, despite the latest GTI ranking.
Kangye argued that information from the DHQ—being at the center of military operations—is more reliable than assessments by external bodies. “If something happens in my house, as the head of the family, I have the most accurate account of events,” he said.
He urged the media to rely on official military updates to counter any misleading narratives about Nigeria’s security situation. “I’m not disputing their report, but as observers who engage with us regularly, you are in a position to provide a more accurate picture of what is happening in Nigeria,” he added.
The Defence DHQ also reported significant gains in counter-terrorism and anti-crime operations between February 27 and March 6, 2025. During this period, troops neutralized 92 terrorists, including a key commander, Abba Alai (Amirul Khalid of Alafa), arrested 111 terrorists, and rescued 75 hostages.
He said, In the fight against oil theft, 18 suspected oil thieves were arrested, and stolen petroleum products worth ₦521.8 millionwere recovered.
“Troops seized 452,396 litres of stolen crude oil, 224,175 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, and 1,920 litres of PMS, while destroying 87 illegal refining sites, 28 dugout pits, 23 boats, and 33 storage tanks.
Additionally, security forces recovered a large cache of weapons, including 117 firearms and 2,939 rounds of ammunition, comprising 58 AK-47 rifles, RPG bombs, pump-action guns, and GPMGs,” he noted.
The military also reaffirmed its commitment to restoring normalcy in the South East, where Operation Udo Kacontinues efforts to dismantle IPOB/ESN activities and improve security in the region.