The military said its troops killed more than 317 terrorists and criminal elements, arrested 314 suspects, and rescued 221 kidnapped victims across various theatres of operation in May, as the Borno State Government temporarily shut and relocated Government Day Secondary School, Mussa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area following the abduction of 42 students by suspected insurgents.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed the military’s operational achievements at a news conference yesterday, saying troops also recovered 93 arms during the period.
He added that 18 terrorists surrendered in the North-East, while troops in the South-South destroyed three illegal refineries and recovered 21,910 litres of assorted petroleum products.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, also directed a comprehensive security reinforcement across the South-West, deploying advanced aerial surveillance assets and specialised ground forces in collaboration with state authorities.
Oluyede said proactive operational measures taken since the abduction of school pupils and teachers in Oyo State had already yielded valuable intelligence, assuring that troops would sustain pressure on the perpetrators until they are apprehended and security is fully restored in the region.
Giving a breakdown of operations, Onoja said 73 insurgents were neutralised in the North-East, while 159 suspects were arrested and 112 persons rescued. He added that 18 terrorists surrendered during the period.
In the North-West, he said troops neutralised 24 insurgents, arrested 13 suspects, and rescued 22 civilians, while in the North-Central, 17 terrorists were killed, 68 suspects arrested, and 73 kidnapped victims rescued.
According to him, in the South-South, 14 criminal elements were arrested, while troops in the South-East killed three members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), and arrested 60 agitators.
The CDS commended troops for what he described as extraordinary gallantry, tactical ingenuity, and professionalism across all theatres of operation, while extending condolences to families of personnel who lost their lives in active service.
“The operational outcomes recorded across all theatres of operation during the period constitute an irrefutable and resounding testament to the strategic clarity, combat effectiveness, and institutional resolve of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Borno State Government said the temporary closure and relocation of Government Day Secondary School, Mussa, followed the recent abduction of 42 students by suspected insurgents.
In a statement yesterday, spokesperson to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, Dauda Illiya, said the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Lawan Wakilbe, announced the decision during a visit to the community on Monday.
Illiya said the visit formed part of the government’s response to the incident and followed an earlier sympathy visit by Zulum on May 19, 2026, during which the governor assured residents of efforts to secure the safe return of the abducted students.
“Before proceeding to Mussa, the delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Uba, His Royal Highness Alhaji Ali Ibn Ismaila Mamza II, at his palace in Uba,” the statement said.
The delegation was received in Mussa by the Commanding Officer of the 115 Battalion, Askira, Lt. Col. Ishola Olufisola, alongside community leaders and parents of the abducted students.
Addressing parents during an interactive session, Wakilbe conveyed the sympathy of the government and assured them that intensified efforts were underway to rescue the students safely.
He reiterated that the Zulum administration remained committed to prioritising the safety and well-being of students across the state.
