The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced that Nigerian troops recorded major successes against terrorists, bandits and kidnappers across different parts of the country in January 2026.
Gatekeepers News reports that DHQ revealed that the troops killed numerous insurgents, arresting hundreds of suspects and rescuing scores of kidnapped victims during coordinated operations.
Major General Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, told journalists in Abuja on Friday that troops operating under different nationwide security initiatives carried out sustained ground and air missions against violent groups to weaken their networks and restore peace to affected communities.
According to the DHQ, troops across Nigeria neutralised several terrorists, and 452 suspected terrorists, kidnappers and other criminals were arrested. In the same period, security forces rescued 284 kidnapped victims, while 124 insurgents and their family members surrendered to troops.
In the North-East under Operation Hadin Kai, the military focused on degrading Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Jama’at Ahl al-Sunna (JAS) groups in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, resulting in the deaths of several senior commanders and the rescue of kidnapped captives. Air interdiction missions were carried out in areas such as the Northern Tumbuns and the Timbuktu Triangle, where senior ISWAP fighters were reportedly neutralised and weapons destroyed.
Across the North-West under Operation Fansan Yamma, troops conducted aggressive operations in states including Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger, Kebbi, Jigawa, Kano, Kogi and Kwara, as well as parts of the Federal Capital Territory. During these missions, dozens of suspects were detained and 100 kidnapped victims were rescued, and arms, vehicles and stolen livestock were recovered from criminals.
In the North-Central theatre, troops under Operations Enduring Peace and Whirl Stroke also engaged extremist groups, killing scores of insurgents, arresting more than 80 suspects and freeing several abducted victims, while a wanted kidnap kingpin, Amadu Adamu, was reportedly apprehended in Kaduna State.
DHQ reaffirmed the Armed Forces’ commitment to sustaining pressure on criminal networks and working with other security agencies and local communities to ensure lasting stability and safety across the country, urging the public to continue providing timely and credible information to support operations.
