Nigerian Troops Achieve Major Counter-Terrorism Success in 2026

In the third quarter of 2026, Nigerian troops neutralised 554 terrorists and other criminals, arrested 1,333 suspects, and rescued 1,736 kidnapped civilians, as reported by Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, during a media briefing at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja. The operations, conducted from July to September, resulted in the surrender of 333 insurgents, recovery of 244 arms, and 8,160 rounds of ammunition.

Additionally, 104 illegal refining sites were destroyed, and 1,610,402 litres of stolen petroleum products were recovered. In September alone, troops neutralised 52 terrorists, arrested 350 suspects, and rescued 655 kidnapped civilians.

The operations included significant actions in the North-east and North-west, with Operation Hadin Kai and Operation Fansan Yamma recording notable successes. The report detailed 367 attacks across various operations in September, with Operation Enduring Peace experiencing the highest number of incidents.