The Nigerian military has acknowledged the concerns, anxieties, and expectations of Nigerians regarding the ongoing battle against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other criminal activities. Despite recording modest achievements, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) admitted that much work remains to be done.
During the weekly operational briefing on Friday, the Director of Defence Media Operations (DMO), Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, stated that no level of operational success can fully compensate for the grief of those who have lost loved ones to terrorism and kidnapping. “We carry that grief with us, and it fuels our resolve,” he said.
Onoja disclosed that between April 30 and May 7, 2026, troops arrested over 57 terrorists, neutralized 26, and rescued 35 kidnapped victims across various theatres of operation. The most impactful achievement during this period occurred in the North Central theatre, where troops raided two illegal arms manufacturing factories in Vom, Jos South Local Council of Plateau State.
Troops of the Quick Reaction Force conducted the raid and arrested five suspects in the act of producing illegal firearms. Items recovered included nine fabricated AK-47 rifles, one locally fabricated pistol, seven AK-47 skeletons, four recoiling springs, four revolver engines, and an array of industrial drilling, filing, and welding machines.
In a separate operation, troops in conjunction with operatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) apprehended a suspect along the Abaji-Kwali road in Abuja. The suspect had concealed 250 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition within the engine compartment of a saloon vehicle.
Additionally, troops successfully recovered the remaining school children abducted from the Daarul-Kitab Islamic Orphanage on April 27, 2026. The group, comprising five boys, two girls, and two adult women, was intercepted within Agbaja Forest in Lokoja LGA of Kogi State and evacuated to a military medical facility.
Onoja conveyed the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Olatunbosun Oluyede’s pledge to every Nigerian mother who prays for her children’s safety, to every farmer who wishes to return to his land without fear, to every student who deserves to learn in peace, and to every trader who must be free to conduct her livelihood without harassment, that the military would not abandon them.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will never abandon you. We will not stand down until every Nigerian can live freely, safely, and with dignity in the land of their birth. This is our mandate. This is our mission. This is our promise to Nigeria,” he concluded.
