The Armed Forces of Nigeria announced that between 3 April and 9 April troops neutralised more than 40 terrorists and rescued 72 kidnapping victims across the country. The briefing was delivered by Director of Defence Media Operations Maj‑Gen Michael Onoja in Abuja on Friday. He also quoted the force's recent achievements as "…Dismantled illegal refinery sites, foiled multiple attacks, disrupted terrorist logistics networks".
In the north‑east, Operation Hadin Kai forces repelled coordinated assaults in Borno, especially around Dikwa and Benisheikh, using artillery and mortar fire. An ambush in Gwoza yielded the death of a terrorist and the capture of ammunition. The operation suffered four fatalities, including Brigade Commander Brig‑Gen O.O Braimah, after a heavy attack in Benisheikh.
In the north‑west, Operation Fansan Yamma rescued 49 hostages, among them infants, and detained suspected allies of kingpin Ado Aleiro. Troops also recovered weapons and thwarted attacks in Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna.
The north‑central zone's Operation Enduring Peace eliminated several insurgents, ten of them in a major clash in Plateau State, and freed 21 captives while destroying camps and seizing arms in Benue and Plateau.
Operation Savannah Shield halted an assault in Kwara with no casualties. In the south‑east, Operation Udo Ka retrieved improvised explosive devices and arrested alleged IPOB/ESN collaborators in Abia and Anambra, while a joint effort in Imo neutralised a terrorist and razed a camp.
Operation Delta Safe in the south‑south intercepted stolen petroleum, dismantled illegal bunkering sites and recovered weapons in Delta and Rivers, also rescuing hostages and retrieving ransom money. Chief of Defence Staff Gen Olufemi Oluyede expressed sympathy for the families of the fallen and pledged to intensify operations as a tribute to the deceased.
The most striking element of the week's report is the loss of Brigade Commander Brig‑Gen O.O Braimah, underscoring that even successful offensives can exact a heavy price on senior officers.
While the Armed Forces boast a sweeping tally of neutralised militants and rescued civilians, the detailed accounts reveal a conflict that remains fluid across multiple fronts. Operations from Hadin Kai in Borno to Fansan Yamma in the northwest demonstrate coordinated strikes against both insurgents and criminal networks, yet the simultaneous need to dismantle illegal refineries and curb oil theft points to a broader security‑economic nexus fueling instability.
For ordinary Nigerians, the immediate benefit lies in the release of 72 hostages, many of whom are likely family members of local communities. However, the continued presence of armed groups in farming regions such as Plateau, Benue and Zamfara threatens agricultural productivity and food security for rural households.
These operations fit a pattern of intensified, multi‑theatre campaigns that the military has adopted since 2022, aiming to project nationwide dominance while confronting the persistent challenge of fragmented militant and criminal actors
