Military Kills 58 Terrorists, Rescues 16 Hostages…Southwest States Act Against Bandit Threats…Authorities Seize 1,599 Firearms in Anti-Smuggling Crackdown…Governor Warns Bandits to Surrender or Face Defeat
● Nigerian Military Kills 58 Terrorists, Rescues 16 Hostages in Counterterrorism Operations
The Nigerian military has stepped up its counterterrorism efforts in the Northwest region, killing 58 terrorists, arresting 11, and rescuing 16 hostages in operations between February 1 and 12, 2025.
The military launched coordinated attacks in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi States, targeting insurgent hideouts. “As part of ongoing non-kinetic efforts, a notorious terrorist leader, Kachalla Mudi, and two others surrendered,” the Defense Headquarters reported.
Operations across bandit hotspots Zamfara and Katsina led to the elimination of multiple terrorists and the recovery of weapons, including AK-47 rifles and ammunition, according to The Punch. Intelligence-led efforts also resulted in the arrest of terrorist kingpin Muhada Muhammadu, known as Yellow.
Summarizing the operations, the military stated, “Troops neutralized 58 terrorists, arrested 11, and rescued 16 hostages.”
● Bandits Fleeing Military Strikes Push Southwest Governors to Tighten Security
Governors from Nigeria’s Southwest region—Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti States—have agreed to establish a joint surveillance team to combat rising security threats, including kidnappings and banditry.
Recently, alarm was raised about the influx of bandits, fleeing from military raids and strikes in Nigeria’s north, into the region. This has kept the Governors and security authorities on their toes.
“The forum agreed to appoint special advisors on security in each state and to establish a joint surveillance monitoring team which we believe will oversee and coordinate security efforts across the region,” Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum, said, as quoted by TheCable.
Sanwo-Olu added that the forum will “deploy advanced technology, including area surveillance systems,” and enhance intelligence gathering through collaboration with local security networks and federal enforcement agencies.
● Authorities Target Arms Smugglers, Seize 1,599 Firearms
Nigeria’s Customs Service (NCS), the agency responsible for border security and anti-smuggling operations, has handed over 1,599 seized firearms and 2,298 live cartridges to the National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), a government body tasked with curbing the spread of illegal weapons in the country.
Comptroller General of NCS Adewale Adeniyi said the seizures resulted from intelligence-driven operations aimed at tackling arms trafficking, particularly amid rising insecurity in the Northwest and Southeast.
Nigeria has continued to struggle with a steady flow of illegal arms, which fuel kidnappings, and attacks by armed groups as a result of porous borders. However, with the recent confiscation of firearms, it seems authorities are intensifying efforts to curb arms trafficking through intelligence-driven operations.
According to Adeniyi, the NCS “will spare no effort in dismantling such networks.” Authorities also transferred 11 suspects for further investigation, Vanguard reported.
● Governor to Bandits: Lay Down Your Arms or Be Destroyed
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ending banditry in the Northwest, urging armed groups to surrender their weapons unconditionally.
Zamfara is the top banditry hotspot in Nigeria’s Northwest, with armed groups terrorizing rural communities through kidnappings, cattle rustling, and violent attacks. The persistent insecurity has displaced thousands, prompting intensified military operations. However, despite government crackdowns, bandits continue to exploit the region’s vast forests and porous borders to evade security forces.
Governor Lawal has said his administration will not relent in its fight against the terrorists. “I wish to restate once more the commitment of our administration to take the fight to the bandits’ enclaves until they are effectively routed, decimated, and dominated,” he said. “But for those willing to surrender their arms unconditionally, they are free to do so.”
What’s News Today? February 14, 2025, compiled by Ezinwanne Onwuka for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
